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- calendar_today October 20, 2026
New Mead Police Station Groundbreaking Launches $16.6M Project
The Town of Mead has commenced construction on a new police station, a $16.6 million initiative intended to improve local law enforcement capabilities. While town leaders celebrated the groundbreaking on Monday in the Liberty Ranch subdivision along Chaparral Street, the project has triggered mixed reactions from residents, some of whom question the need, funding, and long-term consequences of the substantial investment.
How the Facility is Being Funded: Certificates of Participation Used Instead of Tax Increase
According to town officials, the new Mead police station will be financed through $16 million in Certificates of Participation—a lease-purchase arrangement supported by the Mead Urban Renewal Authority—supplemented by a $600,000 grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. Mead Mayor Colleen Whitlow explained that this approach allows the town to move forward without a public safety tax increase. “There’s no tax increase for this project,” Whitlow stated. “It is done with a certificate of participation.”
Despite these assurances, some residents remain uneasy about local government financing, especially in light of previously rejected tax proposals aimed at supporting public safety funding more broadly.
Resident Concerns: Community Split Over Spending and Facility Scale
Some members of the community have voiced opposition or skepticism regarding the scale and cost of the police facility. The town’s records show that voters had rejected proposed 1% sales and use tax increases in both 2024 and 2025—measures that would have funded greater public safety initiatives such as hiring more police officers and upgrading equipment. Officials clarified that those votes did not directly address the construction of the new police station.
At the groundbreaking, demonstrators gathered with signs, expressing their support for law enforcement but their discomfort with the $16 million price tag. Resident Susan Lorenz commented, “Nobody’s anti-police. Nobody’s trying to defund the police here. This is all about the size of this community and what we need. That’s appropriate.” Other residents, such as Diane Molinaro, questioned whether the town should have reconsidered the scope of the project after repeated rejections of the public safety tax. Don Smith, another opponent, was concerned about unknown future police facility costs and urged consideration of increased reliance on the Weld County Sheriff’s Office instead of investing in building expansion.
The town indicated that annual operating cost estimates for the new building were not yet available, but a spokesperson noted that these expenses would be offset by current maintenance, repairs, and retrofitting of the aging modular, with new operating costs expected to be incorporated into the 2028 budget.
Police Department Rationale: Outgrowing an Outdated Facility
Police Chief Brent Newbanks stated that the department had outgrown its existing modular building, which lacks privacy and is inadequate for operations such as interviews and training. The police station construction will introduce features like private interview rooms, training spaces, secure evidence storage, and dedicated spaces to process and release certain detainees. Currently, officers must travel to Greeley—at least 45 minutes away—for some processing tasks.
Chief Newbanks emphasized that the new facility will not function as a jail, but rather will support more effective law enforcement operations and improved victim privacy. He anticipates the new law enforcement infrastructure will enhance officer training, facilitate recruitment and retention, and help accommodate increasing calls for service.
Mixed Community Response: Support for Growth and Concerns Over Development
Not all reactions were negative. Kristine Scott, a longtime Mead resident, expressed enthusiasm for the new police department expansion, citing the need for better public safety resources in a growing community. Drawing from her late husband’s career in law enforcement, she praised the inclusion of facilities like evidence storage and private interview rooms.
Conversely, resident Dana Bieber-Conner, who lives near the construction site, raised worries about further development, neighborhood infrastructure, parking, and rising property taxes—even as officials reiterated that the police station project does not require a new tax increase. "Are my taxes going to go up? You know, more. I mean, I'm sick of it," Bieber-Conner said. Mayor Whitlow responded that the design accounts for adequate parking for all nearby public facilities.
Next Steps: Construction Timeline and Ongoing Debate
Chief Newbanks stated that visible police station construction will begin in the coming weeks, with building walls expected to rise around February and completion targeted for October 2027. Town leaders emphasize the project’s public safety benefits and claim it avoids a tax hike, but some residents remain concerned about the adequacy, operating expense, and appropriateness for a community the size of Mead.
The discussion in Mead underscores the ongoing debate about public safety funding, community concerns, and the role of local government financing in supporting law enforcement infrastructure.
Source: kdvr.com.
