Assemblymember Salas & Corcoran PD Celebrate New Headquarters

Corcoran Police Department cuts the ribbon on new TETER-designed headquarters.

Originally published by THE SENTINEL on October 29, 2019

CORCORAN – On Saturday, Assemblymember Rudy Salas (D-Bakersfield) joined the Corcoran Police Department and local leaders such as Corcoran City Manager, Dr. Kindon Meik, Mayor of Corcoran, Sid Palmerin, Corcoran City Council, Chief of Police, Reuben P. Shortnacy, Chuck Jelloian, President & CEO of CrisCom and Supervisor Richard Valle for a historic ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil the new headquarters for the Corcoran Police Department.

The new department facility was made possible by funding that Assemblymember Salas secured through the state budget. Assemblymember Salas along with the Corcoran Police Department and local leaders secured nearly $4 million in the 2015-16 state budget and an additional $1.7 million in the 2018-19 state budget that was needed to completely fund the project.

“Celebrating the completion of the Corcoran Police Department’s new headquarters shows the success of a multi-year effort to address the public safety needs in our community and improve the way the people can interact with their police department,” said Assemblymember Salas. “This new facility is a huge investment in the city that will create a safer environment for our families and strengthen the bond between the residents and their law enforcement officials. Today is truly a great day for our community and the people of Corcoran.”

Among the many new facilities, the department includes a service friendly design to promote positive community engagement and interaction, greatly improving the public’s experience at the department. The new department is 10,400 square feet, located nearby the current department facility at Civic Center Park. The past department – which is around 75 years old – is less than 4,000 square feet.

The new facility will make critical improvements to public safety infrastructure for the region, including the following: an Emergency Operations Center – which the current department does not have – that will also double as a community meeting/training room; a modern Temporary Holding Facility; a modest fitness room for officers and staff to maintain physical condition; and a fully enclosed sally port which will improve the safety of officers and prisoners, another new addition that the current facility is lacking.

“We are so grateful to be in this beautiful new building and owe tremendous thanks to so many who helped and supported us in this effort,” said Corcoran Police Chief Reuben P. Shortnacy. “Assemblyman Salas is at the top of that list of people who made this project possible. He led the charge to secure the funding for our desperately needed facility. We couldn’t have done it without him.”

In 2015-16, Assemblymember Salas worked to secure $5 million for public safety infrastructure projects in Avenal, Lemoore and Corcoran. Last year, Assemblymember Salas again worked closely with Kings County law enforcement to secure $8.7 million for public safety infrastructure in the region. Assemblymember Salas and Chief Shortnacy were joined by other local leaders to celebrate this historic groundbreaking.

(Left to Right): Chief Shortnancy, Loren Aiton (TETER Architect), Dustin Graef (TETER Construction Administration), and City Manager Meik