Biemer: A Modern Concord Police Station Is An Upfront Investment In Long-Term Affordability

By Drew Biemer

The safety issues with the current police station are well understood.

The building is too small, too outdated, and unable to support the volume and complexity of modern policing. Officers operate in makeshift spaces that hinder efficiency. Victims are interviewed in rooms that were never designed for privacy. Storage, technology, and training needs have outgrown the structure by a wide margin. These are not disputed points. They are facts the community already accepts.

The question now is not whether the building needs to be replaced. The question is whether Concord intends to position itself for the growth it is actively pursuing. A new police station is not only a public safety requirement. It is a strategic investment in the city’s long-term affordability and stability. Every major goal we have set for Concord depends on our ability to absorb new residents, support development and accommodate economic expansion. Housing, employment and tax-base growth all rely on infrastructure that can keep pace.

Public safety is central to that infrastructure. It is no different in importance than sewer, water, roads or trash pickup. Cities that fail to scale their core systems limit their own future. Developers hesitate. Employers look elsewhere. Neighborhoods stagnate. Concord cannot ask for thousands of new housing units while holding its operational capacity in place. Growth requires a foundation and the police department is one of those foundational elements.

This project strengthens that foundation. It supports future housing by ensuring the city can manage increased population and activity. It supports economic development by signaling that Concord plans ahead rather than reacting after the fact. It broadens the tax base over time which is the only reliable path to lowering the financial pressure on individual homeowners. The upfront cost is clear, but the long-term benefit is equally clear. Capacity building always requires investment at the start.

Short-term concerns will always shape public debate. Residents face real financial pressures and councilors hear those concerns every day. But long-term decisions cannot be governed entirely by short-term cycles. Major infrastructure requires forward thinking. The cost of delay is not hypothetical. Construction prices are rising year after year. Waiting will increase the total cost, not reduce it. Doing nothing is not a neutral option. It is a decision that carries its own financial consequences.

Concord is at a point where strategic planning matters. Approving this project is not about checking a box. It is about aligning the city’s infrastructure with its goals. A modern police station supports development, encourages investment and strengthens the city’s financial position over the long term. It prepares Concord for the future residents and businesses we hope to attract.

This is the time for clear, practical action. Concord has the opportunity to build the capacity it needs for the next generation. Moving forward on this project is the responsible step for a city that intends to grow.

Drew Biemer is a current member of the Concord Public Safety Advisory Board and former member of the State Juvenile Parole Board. From 2022 — 2025 he served as a state regulatory official overseeing siting and permitting for large-scale energy infrastructure.