Bettendorf residents will decide Tuesday, Nov. 4, on whether to spend $27 million to build and fully furnish a new police station after the city council voted Tuesday, Aug. 19, to put a bond issue for that amount on the ballot.
In making the case for a new, modern building at the Monday, Aug. 18, Committee of the Whole meeting, city leaders cited Bettendorf’s exploding population – which climbed 18% from 2010 to 2020 – and its current cramped headquarters crowded with tiny cubicles in a building that was not to be built to be a police station or to serve modern-day law enforcement needs, the city said in a news release sent after Tuesday night’s meeting.
If voters approve the referendum the new building is planned for the city-owned property off Devils Glen Road and Crow Creek Road near the Bettendorf Public Works Annex, the release said.
In a letter contained in the council’s Committee of the Whole packet, Bettendorf Police Chief Doug Scott said his department now occupies the city’s old maintenance garage. It was built in 1959, and houses staff offices, evidence storage and numerous other functions.
“The current building provides neither patrol officers nor detectives enough desk space to complete their reports and other tasks,” he said.
That building also “does not meet the training demands of a modern-day police department. It does not have a training classroom or a mat room to train physical skills and the firing range semitrailer is at the end of its service life,” he added. “These are all essential spaces a police department needs to provide the community with the services it deserves and expects.”
The project timetable
Mr. Scott added that at 15,000 square feet, the current Bettendorf Police Department is about one-third the size of other area departments that serve similarly sized populations. In addition, he said, the current space “cannot reasonably expand upward or outward, partly by roof design because it is located between the shared walls of City Hall and the Bettendorf Fire Department.”
To address those challenges, in 2023 the city began researching workspace needs with Bray Architects. After evaluating different solutions, leaders decided to explore constructing a purpose-built police station, the city release said.
Bettendorf hired Estes Construction, Davenport, in December 2024 to estimate the cost of the building. Then the city sent out a survey this past April to ask residents for their input. Nearly 60% of respondents said they supported the project.
City Administrator Decker Ploehn said in the release that if approved, this will be the first bond issue the city has sought in 30 years. “Those bonds paid for the expansion of the Bettendorf Public Library and the Family Museum, both of which are shining examples of what makes Bettendorf ‘a premier city,’” he added. “Our residents helped us create that.”
To prepare voters for the Nov. 4 election, the city is doing extensive community outreach.
“It is immensely important to us to give as much information as possible about this project to our residents and property owners,” Assistant City Administrator Jeff Reiter said. “Our city prides itself on being transparent and we are committed to doing that throughout this entire process. If you have any questions, please email [email protected] and we will do our best to answer as quickly as possible.”
How much will it cost?
To help property owners understand the tax impact, for example, Bettendorf created an estimation calculator for every address. That tool can be accessed by visiting here. The release also offered this example: “The average home value in Bettendorf of $321,952 equates to an increase of $8.42 per month to pay for a new police station.”
The city also created a Frequently Asked Questions web page, which can also be accessed through a special informational web page the city has created for this project.
The police department is offering in-person tours of the current station to residents and property owners. Register at www.bettendorf.org/PoliceStationInfo.
Scheduled sessions so far include:
- 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4.
- 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18.
- 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8.
- 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15.
- 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 24.
- 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27.
The city is also holding several informational meetings for the public to learn more about this project and have an opportunity to ask any questions. (No registration required. Tours of the police station will also be available following these meetings.)
Dates and locations scheduled so far are:
- 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, Waterfront Convention Center, 2021 State St.
- 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, Waterfront Convention Center.
- 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, Lensmeyer Learning Center at Ascentra Credit Union, 2019 Grant St. Use free street parking, if available.
- The public will also be able to tour the current station during the City’s Public Safety Day on Saturday, Oct. 4.
