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September 2019 \ BUILDING DIALOGUE \ 75 P ublic safety officers deal with traumatic life events every day. Add to that the intense scrutiny of job per- formance through body-cam technology, and it is easy to see why stress levels and mental health awareness is priority for many public agencies. This is also the rea- son why the design of a police station plays an important role to help to reduce stress and encourage connection, collaboration, wellness and efficiency. Such is the case for the new Englewood Police Headquarters in Englewood. The project explores the need for a mission-oriented fa- cility that is designed to reduce officer stress, improve safety, and op- erational efficiency. Additionally, the design places a focus on build- ing a strong connection with the community with spaces designed to encourage positive interaction between police officers and visitors. • Context. The city of Englewood Public Safety Services Complex was constructed in 1972 as a single building housing the police department and a fire station. The police department had outgrown the facility, with its building stan- dards well below that of a modern police facility, lacking appropriate security and accessibility design. DLR Group’s design for the new facility serves as home-base for the staff of 110 employees by striking a balance between a functional facility and a welcoming environment for staff, officers and the community. A voter-approved bond was passed in November 2016 to build the new police headquarters facility on the site of the existing Public Safety Services Complex. The project is a multiphased, 50,000-square-foot police operations building. The existing facility was demolished and replaced with secured parking supporting po- lice operations. The building has been sliced at an angle to accentuate the civic plaza and direct pedestrians toward the center of the site. The project site is occupied by an existing public safety building that includes the police headquarters and a fire station within a single structure. The project was planned to be constructed in two phases. Phase 1 builds a new police headquarters facility within the 0.85-acre strip of land that served as a staff parking lot. Phase 2 selectively demolishes the existing police station component and reconstructs crit- ical elements that will enable the fire station to become a standalone building. In Phase 2, the space once occupied by the police station component becomes staff and fleet parking. • Community connection. A primary planning objective was to create a civic presence on the space-restricted site to convey transparency to the public, and to strengthen community connection with spaces that support engagement between staff and vis- itors. Within the lobby, separate suites create space for victim assistance, community services and other support activities. Daylighting strategies bring natural light into the lower level of the building through roof openings. Additionally, interior office areas incorporate skylights for daylight. The main lobby runs the entire building width along the street and pedestrian plaza. The exterior wall defines the lobby space as within a glass box that conveys transparency toward the plaza and park. A large wood overhang wraps the box, add- ing warmth and shade to the entry and presenting a civic image. The “Wrap” anchors the building to a plaza, strengthening a civic presence with deep overhangs that extend to a covered outdoor space at the main entry. The public lobby is designed as a simple glass volume within the wrapping shell structure. The Wrap structure is offset to the rest of the building, termed the “Station,” and the lobby glass box is Public Safety Facilities Designed for Officer Wellness, Community Connection Kyle Yardley, AIA, LEED- BD+C Public safety design specialist, DLR Group