State-of-the-art Protective Services building unveiled

Cochrane RCMP officers will soon have a lot more elbow room as the new Protective Services Building opens its doors. 

It's been years in the making, with shovels officially hitting the ground in July of 2021 with a $23 million budget.

The new building will house Cochrane RCMP, Cochrane Municipal Enforcement and Cochrane and Area Victim Services. 

Greg Barsi, Manager of Corporate Properties and Fleet Services with the town of Cochrane said a lot of thought and consideration went into this project. 

"We looked at finishes and synergies of space while we were designing the building, trying to use Alberta sourced materials wherever possible. Ultimately at the end of the day, we wanted to locate this building in a space that would serve the community well."

Locally sourced products were used in the building as much as possible, including timber from northern Alberta. 

Every small detail was thought out in planning the building including making sure the walls don't get damaged from officer's sidearms as they walk down hallways 

Keeping growth in mind was key in the design of the building, there is a large area on the second floor that was left undeveloped. 

"It was important when we were considering how this community is growing to ensure that as it continues to grow we'll have space to grow into this facility as well.              So there is a space on the second floor that when we researched the cost of building it now versus potentially building it in the future, it was significantly less to build it now." said Barsi. 

He said the old building lasted four decades and he's confident this one will last at least five decades.

Moving from the 40-year-old building at 359 1st Street East will be a huge upgrade for local members. 

RCMP Detachment Commander Dave Brunner said this new building will make the day-to-day work flow so much more functional. 

"This is just a game-changer for the people who work day-to-day, night-shifts, who are out serving the community and they come back to a dark, dingy building that has outlived it's lifespan."

The new 40,000 square foot building is at Clydesdale Avenue in Heartland.

To get to or from Heartland you must travel though the 1A/22 Interchange, which is currently under construction This has some wondering what this means for response times.  

"During the construction there will be some concerns for sure, but we're working on some operational plans to address that to make sure that we're able to respond and provide service where we need to." 

There's a contemplative room in the new building that local members will be able to access if they've just come back from a difficult call, or if they need a bit of quiet time to regroup.

"A member who needs some time to reflect, unwind and have some me-time can go. They're not going to be interrupted, they're going to be able to work through any emotions or any issues that they're having." said Brunner. 

There's local artwork featured throughout the building 

The building offers a gym for members, a state-of-the-art locker room, local artwork throughout, 15 washrooms and 13 cell blocks, compared to just seven that were in the old detachment.

The new detachment sits on over 4 acres of land. It offers a fenced in parking area for members to securely keep their vehicles while on shift. 

A photo from the RCMP Musical Ride in Cochrane in 2019 that is on display inside the new Protective Services Building

Elders from Stoney Nakoda were on hand for a special smudging ceremony on Tuesday, June 13.

“The newly established joint RCMP and Municipal Enforcement detachment brings together the expertise and resources of both agencies under one roof,” said Stacey Loe, Executive Director, Protective and Community Services, Town of Cochrane. “By sharing information, intelligence and operational strategies, this collaborative initiative will maximize the impact of law enforcement efforts in Cochrane.”

“It’s not often that a municipality has the opportunity to construct new facilities,” said Mayor Genung, Town of Cochrane. “With the recent opening of The Station and the forthcoming opening of this new Protective Services Building, we are truly building for the future of Cochrane. Not only does the Protective Services Building provide an integrated space for the RCMP, Municipal Enforcement and Victim Services, it also provides space for future growth. My thanks and congratulations goes out to everyone involved in bringing this critical project from a plan to a reality.” 

Staff and members will be moved into the new building on Monday, June 19. 

Residents are invited to a grand opening celebration on July 15 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.