A study examining multiple options for a new or renovated police station is underway, city officials announced at a Jan. 9 meeting of the Los Altos Community Coalition, where residents and civic leaders discussed emergency preparedness and the condition of the city’s public safety facilities.
Jon Maginot, assistant city manager, told the Town Crier in an email that the study is expected to be presented to the council in late spring or early summer and will include rough cost estimates for each option.
“The current station is in need of major repairs and is functionally outdated,” Maginot said, adding that the more than 50-year-old building “does not currently meet the needs of our police department.”
While the city has not estimated how long the building can continue operating in its current condition, officials said the station’s limitations are increasingly tied to broader concerns about emergency response and resilience.
Emergency preparedness framed much of the meeting’s discussion, including wildfire and earthquake risks. Maginot noted that although only a small portion of Los Altos lies within a designated wildfire zone, much of the city borders high-risk areas in the surrounding hills, meaning a major fire could impact the city.
According to Maginot, the police station study is evaluating four scenarios: “tear down and rebuild, renovate, renovate and expand, or renovate and build a new standalone building.” Once the study is complete, the city council will determine next steps.
Residents questioned why funding is available for other city projects, such as park improvements, while police facilities remain outdated. Maginot explained that the city receives revenue from multiple sources, some of which are legally restricted to specific uses.
“The funds that are being used or planned for the downtown park, those are dedicated in-lieu park funds,” Maginot said. “We can’t use those funds for a new police station.”
Robin Abrams, who moderated the meeting, said understanding those financial restrictions is important as public discussion continues.
“There are swim lanes that you can’t get out of, either in terms of where the revenue is collected or how it’s spent,” Abrams said, adding that residents can help clarify those distinctions when concerns arise.
Officials also provided an update on the city’s Emergency Operations Center, which has been largely completed at the community center. Maginot said the EOC was intentionally separated from the police station to allow for regular community use while still enabling rapid conversion during emergencies.
“We hopefully will only use the emergency operations center maybe once every 10 years,” Maginot said.
The meeting briefly touched on other public safety facilities, including the city’s two fire stations. A facilities study conducted several years ago identified maintenance needs at both locations, and Maginot said the current budget includes funding for repairs, including roof work at the Almond Avenue station.
Community members also raised concerns about housing for first responders, noting that many police officers and city employees live far from Los Altos, which could limit response times during an emergency. Maginot said the city has not discussed housing subsidies but continues to look for ways to support employees.
Maginot encouraged residents to provide feedback through an online questionnaire on the city’s website, saying public input will help guide future budgeting and infrastructure decisions.
