Recruitment and retention are two of the biggest challenges facing police departments today. Departments of all sizes are fighting to hire and keep good people. And the spaces they work in play a bigger role than most realize.
According to American Police Beat, the nationwide drop in police recruitment is hitting agencies of all sizes. At the same time, around 19,000 police stations are trying to meet growing demands with the same old limitations: tight budgets, aging buildings, and not nearly enough space.
That’s why designing a police station isn’t just about square footage or equipment. It’s about building a space that supports the people inside, starting with how they work, connect, and decompress. So how do you design a police station that actually flexes with your future needs?
The answer is better storage — the kind that streamlines operations, improves workflows, and creates the kind of station that officers actually want to work in.
Locker rooms don’t usually make the highlight reel. But they should. For officers, it’s where the day starts, ends, and sometimes resets after a tough call. A well-designed locker room does more than hold gear; it helps recruit new talent, supports seasoned officers, and creates a daily experience that makes people want to stay.
Designing a police station with modern locker rooms sends a clear message: we value our people. Giving officers a secure, personalized space to store their gear and take a breather can make a real difference in morale, mindset, and day-to-day satisfaction.
More departments are catching on. It’s out with the worn-out benches and cramped cubbies, and in with the clean, comfortable spaces that help officers decompress, recharge, and show up ready for the next shift.
Spacesaver’s FreeStyle® Lockers are built to keep up with real-world shift work. Set up your lockers to match how your officers work, with options like:
They’re flexible, durable, and designed for the day-to-day reality of life on the force.
Or, you could revitalize your station with a fresh approach to tactical gear storage. Our tactical readiness lockers keep duty bags, shields, and other grab-and-go equipment organized, visible, and ready to move. Built from rugged steel and available in multiple configurations, they offer:
Not every department has the budget — or the real estate — for new construction. Sometimes, strategic renovations can be the smartest path forward. With the right upgrades, even older stations can function like a brand-new build. And unlike full-blown construction projects, these updates can happen fast, with a lot less disruption and just as much impact.
Every station has its own pressure points. Maybe it’s a crowded records room. Maybe it’s outdated cabinetry that’s falling apart. Strategic renovations can target whatever area needs the most help.
The goal? Make the space feel more modern, organized, and professional without the cost (or chaos) of starting from scratch. Some popular upgrades include mobile shelving that can double your storage capacity without expanding your footprint, or modular casework that swaps out aging millwork for durable, reconfigurable cabinetry.
Weapon storage retrofits deserve their own spotlight. Modular and secure, systems like the Universal Weapons Racks (UWR) or UWR-Mini bring order to gear storage without overhauling your space. They can help aging stations stay mission-ready, without compromising on process efficiency or space flexibility.
No one wants to see hours or even years of police work undone by mishandled evidence. Lost files, damaged materials, and a broken chain of custody can unravel an entire case.
Between longer retention requirements and a steady influx of new material, most evidence rooms are stretched to the limit. Aging shelves buckle under the pressure, and finding the right file at the right time turns into a slow-moving crisis. That’s why departments big and small are reconsidering how they approach evidence storage:
Growth is constant. Change is inevitable. So, designing a police station isn’t only about solving today’s problems but building for the next wave of growth, change, and challenge. The best storage solutions don’t just check a box. They make your space easier to run now, and a whole lot easier to adapt later.
When the Warren County Sheriff’s Office in Ohio outgrew its outdated facility, officers were working out of closets and converted jail cells in a building that dated back to the 1970s. They wanted to do more than reclaim square footage. They needed a better, future-ready setup.
Together with Patterson Pope, they designed a streamlined storage system built to grow with the department. From central supply and evidence storage to shelving and weapons racks, every choice was made with the next generation in mind.
“We added storage not just for my career, not for the person who starts tomorrow’s career, but for that third and fourth and fifth person,” said Chief Deputy Sheriff Barry K. Riley.
Whether you’re building from the ground up or renovating what you’ve got, we’re here to help make it count. Our team works with departments of all sizes to design police station storage solutions that improve daily operations now, and adapt easily for whatever’s coming next.
Ready to talk future-proofing? Reach out to a Patterson Pope representative today.