BOCA RATON, Fla. — The city of Boca Raton is moving forward with a decades-old discussion about building a new police headquarters.
“We’re 40 years into that facility, and the need for a new one was identified years ago,” said Boca Raton Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer, James Zervis.
WATCH BELOW: 'The facility is really at capacity,' Boca Raton Deputy City Manager James Zervis tells WPTV
The city plans to replace its aging police headquarters and create a central hub for operations.
“The facility is really at capacity," Zervis said. "We’ve had to expand and relocate some of our officers and equipment to around seven different locations throughout the community, simply because we’re out of space.”
Zervis told WPTV the city’s population is outpacing the capacity of its aging police headquarters. The current building needs major roof repairs and doesn’t meet state or hurricane standards.
“We’re also looking at where the center of the city is," he said. "The city has continued to grow over the past 40 years, but that growth has primarily been to the west.”
The new facility would be a two-story, 160,000-square-foot building on Spanish River Boulevard, built on city-owned land.
Boca Raton plans to use $15.2 million from its general fund and is proposing a combination of bonds and public funds to pay for the rest. The city is asking residents to approve up to $175 million of the $190 million price tag through a tax bond.
City council voted to put the resolution on the March 10, 2026 ballot.
If approved, the millage rate would increase from 3.6649 to 3.9254, which could affect property taxes.
“The issuance of this bond, if it were approved by the voters, the millage rate would still be below all comparable cities," Zervis said.
If voters reject the bond referendum, Zervis said the city will explore other ways to fund the project.
Either way, Boca Raton Police Chief Michele Miuccio said the department will maintain a downtown presence during construction.
“We would continue having our fingerprinting, we would be able to get reports and evidence,” she said.
Zervis said residents will get a chance to weigh in on the proposal before the March elections through public meetings. He’s optimistic voters will support the new headquarters, which is expected to break ground in 2027.
READ BELOW: Boca Raton police headquarters project
