Riverside County Sheriff’s Department expands facilities
Ground breaking ceremonies were held in North Palm Desert this week in preparation for a new Sheriff’s facility on Gerald Ford Drive. The facility will be considered the largest in Riverside County, 86,000 square feet on 10 acres, including a heliport and the capability of reaching any Coachella Valley mid-city in minutes. This facility will serve areas such as Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells as well as unincorporated communities all the way from Thousand Palms to Whitewater.
A rendition of the facility is included in the photos taken at the event. The estimated cost of the facility is $33 million with a completion date of June 2010.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has been aggressively gearing up for future needs having recently announced the completion of the Thermal Sheriff’s Station housed at the Thermal Airport location. This East Coachella Valley location has an air component which includes helipads, fixed wing aircraft storage and an outreach of the Palm Springs Air Museum with classrooms for enthusiasts to teach aspects of aeronautics. The Thermal station will serve La Quinta, Coachella and all the unincorporated communities from Bermuda Dunes and Sun City to a point between Chiraco Summit and Desert Center. Sheriff Stanly Sniff, Riverside County Supervisor Roy Wilson and mid Valley Mayors were present for the event and participated in the first shovel, moving of earth.
Photos by Be Saiz
La Prensa Hispana.
