A New Home for Public Safety

A Strategic Partnership for Landmark Projects

As one of Southern California’s fastest growing communities, the City of Rialto has faced several challenges that come with expansion. One of the most pressing difficulties has been fitting the City’s expanded police force and staff into a police station built when the population was a quarter of what it is today. Therefore, when the City sought to modernize and expand the police station, it looked to partner with a team who could best meet its goals of expanding the station’s capacity, encompassing multiple functions, and doing so on a timeline that could meet needs now and for years to come.

The brand-new City of Rialto Police Station will completely replace the outdated 50-year-old facility thanks to the financing, development, and construction capabilities of partner Griffin Swinerton, which taps the development management strength of Griffin Structures combined with the premier construction expertise and capabilities of Swinerton Builders. During construction, the existing police facility will continue operating as normal and will be demolished after the new buildings are completed in mid-2026.

Streamlining Delivery for Civic Clients

The project is being delivered through a public-private partnership (P3) model, where public entity City of Rialto partners with private entity Griffin Swinerton to finance, construct, operate, and maintain a public facility. Working with Griffin Swinerton means that the City is less exposed to project risks such as design conflicts, cost overruns, or delayed schedules. The financing through sales of bonds also streamlines the project, as the capital is more readily available—enabling the project to be delivered faster than with other financing methods.

Architect partner LPA has also worked alongside Griffin Swinerton to design this facility. Rather than outsourcing each step of the process, this P3 project integrates all parties involved in a close partnership for development and construction.

Assistant Project Manager Jennifer Calderon explains that the P3 model “fosters a truly collaborative, one-team approach between Griffin, Swinerton, and LPA.”

The Swinerton Ecosystem is providing additional benefits to the client through the streamlined procurement of the project’s finishing touches. NBS, a national project partner of Swinerton focusing on complete furnish and install packages, will be procuring specialties for the City of Rialto’s new police facilities.

Accounting for the Future, Now

When the Rialto Police Department first opened in 1973, fewer than 50 police force employees served the city’s 30,000 residents. Now, with around 200 employees and over 100,000 residents, the older facility has been unable to accommodate the needs of a more robust public safety team. With limited lockers, no conference or meeting rooms, overcrowded dispatch centers, and a lack of training rooms, the station was due for an upgrade to not only meet logistical needs, but quality-of-life needs for the occupants.

The new facility incorporates features that prioritize community impact and efficiency. The main 50,800-square-foot building will include a 911 dispatch center, traffic and patrol centers, a center for investigations, records and IT departments, short-term holding facilities, and an Office of the Chief. In addition, a community space will be open to the public for hosting events. New headquarters will advance the police department’s operational needs, staff development, and community engagement by providing a modern space for the department to expand and interact with the community it serves.

The primary two-story station will also incorporate the latest features to improve occupant wellness and building longevity. For example, the composite structure uses tilt-up concrete panels supported by structural steel, which improves fire resistance while being durable, efficient, and cost-effective.

A secondary 11,400-square-foot support building will be used for additional functions like training and fitness spaces. The support building will house specialized training facilities for officers, including an eight-lane tactical firing range, bicycle patrol and storage, quartermaster, and animal control. Both buildings accommodate training and detention.

Delivering on Client Needs

In consideration of the city’s financial goals, Griffin Swinerton reviewed contract drawing revisions and provided constructability feedback on the most cost-effective solutions throughout the course of the project. The facility is also pursuing LEED Gold® certification with features such as enhanced energy management, water efficiency, and environmentally conscious building materials. Swinerton’s efforts to support certification for Rialto Police Station demonstrate the firm’s continued commitment to building a sustainable future for our communities.

The City of Rialto and the Swinerton building team maintained a highly collaborative and supportive relationship throughout the building process.

“Managing this job has been rewarding due to the constant love and support we’ve received from the police department and the Rialto community,” said Jennifer Calderon. In fact, “the team’s favorite memory was the topping out ceremony, where all the police officials and members of the community came to the site to share a special moment in Rialto history.”

By 2035, police staffing is projected to reach over 250 sworn officers and civilian staff. The Rialto Police Station site improvements will transform interactions between police divisions, improve recruitment, and accommodate future expansion.

“It has been the dream of the Rialto City Council to have a police station that represents the hard work of the dedicated men and women of the department and their service to the community,” said Ed Scott, Rialto City Councilmember. “This is something we’re all very proud of.”