Wicomico County Public Safety Building
The Wicomico County Public Safety Building is a new two-phase 80,514 GSF public safety headquarters facility located in Salisbury, Maryland. The first phase includes a new 55,514 GSF headquarters facility for the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office. The design integrates UPS systems, generators, and redundant communications systems into the infrastructure for the entire build-out, allowing for seamless construction of phase II. The second phase will house the County’s Department of Emergency Services and will feature spaces for Emergency Operations Centers and 911 Call Centers. The design also includes additional support areas for storing deployment assets, including regional command vehicles. The project complies with CALEA, IACP, NFPA 1221, FEMA 543, and CPTED.
The project’s design incorporates all of the aforementioned best practices associated with site design and organization. Interior program elements include a dedicated Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and a separate Police Communications Dispatch Office (PCO). Additional program elements include offices, duty desks, holding cells, evidence storage and processing, vehicle maintenance workshops, communications technology, interview rooms, and meeting spaces.
The station was designed with a strong emphasis on safety and resilience, incorporating multiple layers of security throughout the site and building structure. Site features include reinforced concrete benches with internal rebar and strategically placed security bollards, which help deter and slow down potential vehicular threats. Additionally, the facility is equipped with ballistic-rated glazing at key locations, protecting occupants from firearm-related threats while maintaining visibility and approachability.
