Press Release: 11/3/2025

Mayor Shaunna O’Connell, Taunton Police and Fire Departments Offer Look into New Public Safety Complex as Project Nears Finish Line

 

TAUNTON — Firefighters and police officers were offered a glimpse of their future workplace, joining members of the community and elected officials for tours of the new Public Safety Building on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025 as the project nears the finish line.

Employees of the Taunton Police and Taunton Fire Departments are expected to move into the modern, centralized 90 County St. building in early 2026.

The main building at the Public Safety Complex is a 62,000-square-foot, two-story facility, featuring a modern emergency communications center for dispatchers serving both departments, abundant police office space, classroom training and conference room space, two drive-through bays for fire apparatus, and many other amenities that are fitting for a modern public safety facility.

“Both departments have been waiting anxiously for this building to open for us,” said Taunton Fire Chief Steven P. Lavigne. “It’s a new era for both departments. We finally have a new home — and it’s designed to meet our needs and be safe for our workers.”

In addition to the main building, the Public Safety Complex features a 6,000-square-foot operations support building, used for a garage and storage, along with a radio tower and a fire training building.

The facility’s emergency communication center comes with enough room to potentially regionalize it at some point in the future. When the public safety building opens, the emergency communication center will have seats for eight call takers for both the police and fire departments.

Police Chief Edward J. Walsh is looking forward to his personnel having more office space to better do their jobs. The department’s 14 detectives will finally have more than one shared room to work from, and commanding officers will no longer be cramped together with dispatchers. The new Public Safety Complex also features a secure sallyport for detainee transfers, and modern booking and holding cells.

“This is a great day for the department,” Chief Walsh said. “It’s a major upgrade. It will help improve the culture and morale of the department. We’ve waited many years for this.”

Dan Pallotta, owner of the city’s project management firm P3, said the project cost is coming in at $67 million, which is $10 million less than what was appropriated by the city for the new Public Safety Complex.

“It’s a really successful project,” Pallotta said. “Taunton is going to get all the newest technology and facilities that will serve the departments now and in the future.”

Taunton Chief Financial Officer Patrick Dello Russo Jr. called the Public Safety Complex “a true success story” in municipal government, when far too often projects go over budget and behind schedule.

“This is the project they said was never going to happen. And it’s here, under budget and on schedule,” Dello Russo said.

Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell called the “sneak peek” tours offered last Thursday “an incredible milestone” for the city.

“This project is the result of outstanding teamwork, careful planning, and a shared commitment to our community and first responders,” O’Connell said. “Thanks to the dedication of so many city departments, contractors, and public safety professionals, we are proud to be delivering a modern facility that is on time, under budget, and built to serve Taunton for generations to come. This building will provide our hardworking police officers and firefighters with the resources they need and deserve as they continue to protect and serve our residents every day.”

With the new operations support building at the Public Safety Complex, mechanics for the police and fire departments have ample space to maintain and store motor vehicles and other equipment. Mechanics will be able to put cabs for fire engines on a lift, instead of being forced to lay on the ground to work on the machinery.

“We don’t have that capability right now,” Chief Lavigne said. “That will be a huge improvement.”

The radio tower and fire training building at the Public Safety Complex are also new additions for the departments, providing on-site access to these crucial resources to conduct live training exercises and to improve communications.

“Now we can do much more of our training here,” Chief Lavigne said. “It’s a big plus. We can do roof operations, search and rescue, standpipe training and other types of training.”

Chief Lavigne also appreciates the spacious kitchen and day room with modern amenities and appliances.

“The kitchen and day room are the heart of a fire station — this is where firefighters come together to share meals and experiences that help foster the camaraderie and brotherhood the fire service is known for,” Chief Lavigne said.

In addition, decontamination systems and separate storage areas for turnout gear will substantially improve safety for firefighters.

The contractor for the Public Safety Complex project is CTA Construction Managers. The architect for the project is Caolo & Bieniek Architects.

“We’re so thrilled that we’re at a point now that we can show you some of the wonderful features of this building,” Mayor O’Connell said. “So many people have worked so hard to make this a success. It illustrates what we can achieve when we work together toward a shared common goal.”