Salem police HQ budget gets $3.3 million boost

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Salem city councilors have approved an additional $3.3 million to fund the city’s new police headquarters, the second round of added funding since voters approved $61.8 million in bonds for the project in 2017.

The Statesman Journal reports that construction on the three-story building is already well underway and it’s projected to open in September 2020. Higher than expected inflation has caused costs to rise, but city officials said they are ready to lock in a price with contractor JE Dunn sometime in the next two weeks.

Last year, an extra $2 million was requested in part to incorporate features citizens asked for into the police headquarters design, like a community room, public plaza and public restrooms, though rising construction costs also contributed to the request.