Groundbreaking ceremony for JLEC project, Public Safety Building set for Jan. 17

Douglas County will host a groundbreaking ceremony at 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17, for the Judicial and Law Enforcement Center (JLEC) addition and renovation project as well as the Public Safety Building. The event will be on the south lawn of the JLEC, 111 E. Eleventh St.

The goal of the largest capital improvement project in the County’s history is to improve security for all users, improve operational efficiency and enhance technology availability.

The Board of County Commissioners approved a total project budget of $81.9 million during its meeting on Dec. 11, 2024. The project will not require a tax increase. It will be funded with bonds paid for within existing sales tax authority and cash on hand. 

Treanor Architects and J.E. Dunn Construction are the design and construction team for the project, which is expected to take approximately two years and six months to complete.

JLEC addition and renovation project

The JLEC houses the Seventh Judicial District, which has nine judges, District Attorney’s Office, Emergency Communications (911 Dispatch), Emergency Management, Sheriff’s Office, Information Technology, and Building and Maintenance staff.  The building was constructed in 1974, and the last addition was completed 24 years ago in 2000.

The project will add a 158,075-square-foot building to the south side of the existing JLEC. It will contain six courtrooms with associated judges’ chambers, office areas for District Court staff, new holding areas for people in custody making court appearances and solar panels on the rooftop.

Construction work on the existing JLEC will include remodeling space on portions of each of the three floors. Remodeled spaces will include three courtrooms and reconfiguring of office spaces as well as modernizing the existing lobby area and public restrooms. Public services such as the Clerk of the District Court and Douglas County Law Library will be relocated closer to the main entry.

The entire project will improve security by providing separate paths of travel for the public, people in custody and staff. This is a best practice for modern courthouse design. It also provides for future expansion of the courts system.

Public Safety Building

Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2025 on a Public Safety Building that will be located on land currently owned by the county and near the Douglas County Correctional Facility, 3601 E. 25th St. The Public Safety Building will house Emergency Communications and Emergency Management in 11,500-square-feet of space at the basement level, which is designed and will be constructed as a storm-hardened structure.

There will be 25,565-square-feet of space constructed on the main level. It includes a Sheriff’s Office evidence storage area and garage that will house equipment and vehicles for the Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Management and Emergency Communications. It will be built to house the Sheriff’s Office operations in the future.

There will be ground-mounted solar panels installed at the site.

Scheduled timeline

• January 2025 – Construction begins on Judicial and Law Enforcement Center addition
• Spring 2025 – Construction begins on Public Safety Building
• Spring 2026 – Construction completed on Public Safety Building
• Summer 2026 – Construction completed on JLEC addition and renovation work begins in existing building
• Summer 2027 – Renovation work completed in JLEC