$28 million sheriff's station opens in Perris; will serve 200 square miles

By: NICOLE SACK - Staff Writer | Sunday, August 5, 2007 1:19 AM PDT ∞

PERRIS ---- Though it sits in Perris, the neighboring communities of Sun City, Menifee and Canyon Lake also will benefit from the new and improved Riverside County Sheriff's Station.

Hundreds gathered Saturday morning to celebrate the opening of the 48,000-square foot station, which is part of the 17-acre campus of county buildings at the intersection of Perris Boulevard and San Jacinto Avenue.

The station will be the new home for about 180 sheriff's employees, including more than 150 sworn deputies who will serve a 200-square-mile area of the county.

Riverside County Sheriff Bob Doyle said that after years of being housed in substandard buildings, the Perris Station finally has a facility that provides the space and amenities needed by law enforcement personal as well as room to grow.

"The buildings we previously used were dilapidated, getting overrun with rodents," he said. "They really were Band-Aid fixes, but our real solution was to construct a new station. We have had such significant growth, which doesn't appear to be slowing down. But now we have this station, as well as room to grow."

Attached to the station is a 20,000-square-foot warehouse for evidence and recovered property, as well as a 10,000-square-foot forensics lab.

The project cost $28 million to construct, which came in $2 million less than anticipated, said Riverside County Supervisor Marion Ashley, who serves the fifth district.

"That is significant because this is the largest county project since the Southwest Justice Center was constructed," Ashley said of project coming in under the $30 million budget. "But the result is extraordinary. This area has been growing so rapidly and the (sheriff's deputies) were operating our of hand-me-down facilities. This campus is centrally located to the coroner's office and to the jails."

Ashley said the project is the first substantial example of California Friendly Landscaping in a county project, which will save water, energy, and taxpayer money.

During a tour of the newly-opened station, Menifee resident Lisa Larragoitiy seemed impressed.

"This is awesome. This is incredible. This place is huge," she exclaimed to a friend. "I've lived in the area for years and I remember what the last station looked like. This place is incredibly beautiful and it goes to show that the city is flourishing."

Besides the sheriff's station, a 25,000 square-foot family health center, named the Dr. Robert Bruce Reid Health Clinic, was dedicated Saturday. Reid began his medical practice in Perris in 1938. He served the community of Perris for 49 years until his death in 1987.

On April 11, 1996, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department assumed municipal police services for Perris. This station also serves the contract with Canyon Lake, as well as the unincorporated communities of Menifee, Sun City, Glen Valley, Mead Valley, Woodcrest and Romoland.

Contact staff writer Nicole Sack at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2616, or nsack@californian.com.

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