Buffalo Co. Representatives Tour Law Enforcement Facilities as Part of LEC Needs and Assessment Project | 1340 KGFW

Kearney City/Buffalo County Law Enforcement Center (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)

KEARNEY — Buffalo County officials visited several law enforcement centers across the country and eastern Nebraska to assess the needs of the existing law enforcement center in Kearney.

The Law Enforcement Center (LEC), which houses both the Kearney Police Department and the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, was designed in July 1994 to meet the needs for 30 years.

Now, three decades later, law enforcement is providing additional needs and services that require more space.

To best meet the needs, the county bid on a condition and needs assessment and awarded the contract to Wilkins Architecture Design Planning, located in Kearney, and its partner Parkhill, a large firm headquartered in Texas and specializes in law enforcement needs.

Facilities Director Steve Gaasch appeared before the Buffalo County Commissioners at their Tuesday, June 11, meeting and noted that county officials visited four different facilities in Texas.

There was also a three-day trip to look at six additional facilities in eastern and central Nebraska.

Sheriff Neil Miller said they are exploring all of their options when it comes to the future of the LEC and said they have visited some facilities that were built new and others that were renovated spaces.

Miller noticed one in Abeline, Texas, which was a former K-Mart location, now a law enforcement center.

Commissioners Sherry Marrow said tour participants also had a good idea of ​​what they didn’t like or want for future LEC facilities.

Gaasch said Buffalo County has a great system, with the KPD and sheriff’s office located in the same building.

In contrast, Gaasch said he saw a situation where the sheriff’s office and police department occupied two different buildings on opposite sides of the street and noted that they effectively doubled construction costs, which the LEC avoid.

Miller added that their tour reinforces the benefits of co-location and that will be the continued plan moving forward.

Gaasch said he’s seen a range of different options, brand new buildings, renovations or other co-locations, including law enforcement sharing space with the fire department or city offices.

“We’ve seen a lot of different methods that make this work,” Gaasch said, while emphasizing that ultimately they will do what works best for the city of Kearney and Buffalo County.

Commissioners approved a change order that had been submitted for state needs and assessments with Wilkins Architecture, which included the cost of travel to the other six Nebraska facilities.