State funding to help build new HQ for KCSO and Corcoran Police

HANFORD, Calif. (KFSN) -- More than $8 million from this year's state budget will help fund two public safety buildings in the South Valley.

Rudy Salas was credited with securing the state funds, but the assemblymember also praised Kings County leaders for their efforts in getting Sacramento to see why the funds were needed here.

He said receiving the money ($8.7 million in total) was the result of hard work, creativity, and collaboration.

"This is a good day for Kings County," Salas said. "This is a good day for the Central Valley."

The lion's share, $7 million, will help build a new headquarters for the Kings County Sheriff's Office.

The department has occupied their current building since 1964, and when the new jail was built more than ten years ago, the jail and headquarters were separated.

The new facility will be located next to the jail, making it easier to book suspects, or for employees to walk from one building to the next.

"We're going to have a lot of time efficiency as well because they will literally be just a few steps away now," said Kings County Sheriff David Robinson.

The funding for the sheriff's office will also be used for homeless and transient facilities.

"(It will be) a clean and safe place for the homeless to come and get showers, use restrooms, do all the things that they need to do for personal hygiene in a safe place," Salas said. "Somewhere where they can keep their belongings in a safe place, somewhere where they feel welcomed."

"Most businesses wouldn't want it, most residences wouldn't want it," Robinson said. "But we're willing to take it on as a government entity because it's going to be in a location where we're going to have high security because it's a law enforcement operations headquarters. And we have other things that we can tie into through the government complex to really keep it clean and hopefully get them on a new path."

The Corcoran Police Department is receiving the remaining $1.7 million in state funding, which will allow them to finish their new headquarters.

The building will also include an emergency operation center and community spaces.

Corcoran's police chief says it will serve them for another 50 years.

It is expected to break ground next month.

The new sheriff's headquarters will break ground sometime next summer.