Proposed Measure 14-86: Police Station Renovation
Police Station Background
Below is background on the current police facility:
- There is no dedicated space for interviewing suspects or victims. Right now, one room serves for interviews, laundry, and employee breaks. It is not a secure space, and lacks installed audio and visual equipment for recording interviews.
- It does not meet state seismic standards for a police station, meaning our police may not be able to effectively respond during a disaster when we will need them the most.
- Lacks of security features, such as bulletproof protections like safety windows for staff and visitors.
- There is no ventilation, making it difficult to handle dangerous substances like fentanyl safely.
- Evidence processing areas lack modern receiving and storage equipment, requiring offers to perform manual and time consuming processes to maintain chain-of-custody documentation. This reduces the time officers are away from patrol or solving crimes.
- There is no dedicated space for training, forcing our officers to travel outside the city to train.
The City has been working over the last six years to design updates to the facilities.
About Proposed Measure 14-86
If passed, Measure 14-86 would fund renovations to upgrade and expand the police station, as well as address health and safety hazards, and increase accessibility. Measure 14-86 would authorize a new property tax that would fund updates to emergency response, officer safety and public access.
If the Measure does not pass, the police station would not be renovated and property taxes would not be increased.
Expected upgrades to the police station include:
- American with Disabilities Act upgrades to increase accessibility.
- Mitigation of mold and water intrusion.
- Ventilated evidence processing facilities for handling dangerous substances like fentanyl, and methamphetamine.
- Seismic retrofitting to essential public safety facility standards.
- Emergency power back-up.
- Secure interview rooms to support officer safety and high-quality evidence gathering.
- Adequate restrooms for staff and visitors.
- Covered parking and access upgrades for quicker and safer responses to calls during inclement weather.
- Modern evidence and filing systems.
- Professional offices, meeting spaces, and public areas.
- Furnishing, equipment, and related upgrades.
- Space to accommodate the next 20 years of expected Police Department staffing growth. This will allow for the eventual addition of a Captain and 2nd Detective position to meet increasing caseloads.
Proposed Measure 14-86 Costs & Details
If passed, the the measure would authorize a new property tax. Property owners would pay $0.34 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The owner of a median assessed value home in Hood River would pay approximately $7.69 a month or $92.28 per year. The tax would raise 8.7 million over a 20 year period.
Property owners can use this tool to estimate what the bond would cost them:
If passed, this measure would authorize the City of Hood River to issue a principal amount not to exceed $8.7 million in general obligation bonds. Bonds may be issued in multiple series, each maturing within 20 years. If the measure does not pass, property taxes would not be increased and the police station would not be renovated.
If passed, a Bond Oversight Committee would be appointed to review bond expenditures and to report annually to the City Council and the public. Measure 14-86 would also require financial audits regarding the use of the bond funds to ensure the use of the funds is consistent with the intent of the voters.
This information was reviewed by the Oregon Elections Division for compliance with ORS 260.432