Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office Public Safety Service Center

The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office employs hundreds of Minnesotans for various roles, including patrol, investigations, and managing the crime lab. The 100,000 square foot Public Safety Service Center supports these functions, housing a communications center, armory, SWAT team, and storage for over 115 vehicles. Aligned with Hennepin County’s Climate Action Plan, the facility features electric vehicle stations, solar panels, and a geothermal system for energy-efficient heating and cooling. These initiatives aim to reduce the carbon footprint and promote biodiversity through native plant conservation.

Community Impact
A notable aspect of this project is the partnership with Better Futures Minnesota, a non-profit working with high-risk adults. To make space for the new Public Safety Service Center, a building on-site needed to be deconstructed. This process involves carefully taking apart a building to recover reusable materials, requiring specialized skills and equipment to ensure the safe removal of materials without causing damage. The materials salvaged by Better Futures Minnesota are then sold in its ReUse Warehouse, diverting 700 tons of building materials a year from area landfills—including 33 tons from this project. This innovative approach not only supports sustainability but also empowers the community.

This project also positively impacts the community by exceeding workforce goals. Hennepin County had high expectations for targeted business and workforce participation, and we achieved a 50% BIPOC workforce and 10% female workforce throughout the project. We also solicited bids from Small Business Enterprise (SBE), Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), and Women Business Enterprise (WBE) companies, adding up to 8.75% of the overall contractors. The project team strongly supported DEI efforts, creating opportunities for underrepresented groups and fostering a more inclusive community.