Lynchburg's New Police Station: A Generational Moment

On Friday, September 30^th, 2022, the Lynchburg Police Department (LPD) broke ground on a new police headquarters building, which will be conveniently located right off the intersection of Odd Fellows Road and Albert Lankford.

At the time of the groundbreaking, the City of Lynchburg’s Chief of Police, Ryan Zuidema, said in a statement, “It’s going to bring all our officers under one roof, which will allow for better collaboration and more efficiency, provide a lot of technology and for a lot more collaboration with officers as well as within the community,” also noting that it will “give them hope, helps their morale, and is going to be something that they can be proud of.”

From Cramped Quarters to Cutting-Edge

Progress is being made as these images depict the current progress of the station, which is expected to be completed by February 2025. The urgent need for the new facility is underscored by the fact that LPD currently utilizes four existing buildings that contain 47,000 square feet of space, but that number will grow exponentially to 97,000 square feet under one roof in the new station.

In addition to spacing improvements, the new building will have substantial technological improvements, including the ability to have meetings and conferences right from the desk, set up stations for LPD’s newly developed drone programs, and an easier, more secure, and controlled vehicle processing system, which has critical implications for crime scene vehicles.

The Honor Campaign

Eugene Wingfield, a current board member of the Lynchburg Police Foundation, a retired LPD captain, and retired clerk for the Lynchburg Circuit Court, has been leading the charge for The Honor Campaign, which seeks to build a garden of the same name, a beautiful area of spacious greenery, comprising 4,000 square feet to honor over 200 years of law enforcement in Virginia since 1805., which will be divided into two sections, “Community” and “Memorial”, each with their own garden. According to Wingfield, without the work of the police foundation, the garden, which will cost approximately $500,000 to complete, would never have never been built.

Community Garden

The first section, the “Community Garden” is aptly named in recognition of the hard work undertaken by the department to continue to foster a healthy relationship with the Lynchburg Community, and because it leads visitors directly to the “community room” located on the right side of the station. The “Community Garden” also includes a 6 foot long by 20-foot-wide rectangular fountain, designed to reflect the shape of the building, where the LPD administration can change the color not only of the three water bubblers in the fountain but also the colors of the lighting features within the garden.

Memorial Garden

The second section, the “Memorial Garden” seeks to honor the past, present, and future of law enforcement in Lynchburg, highlighting the incredible dedication and sacrifice that officers perform for the Lynchburg community every single day. The “Memorial Garden” section predominantly features seven bricks honoring the seven original watchmen, who were the first police officers to ever serve after the police department in 1805 and also honors the four officers who have given their lives in service to their community with four bronze plaques, with a small-mini garden between each one.

Additionally, a rectangular area of red brick pavers surrounds an iconic monument that was originally installed at the department’s original facility on 905 Court St, which will be moved to and installed at the new facility when construction is complete. Additionally, two-time capsules, one of which was previously buried at LPD’s current facility, and a new one to be placed adjacent to the first, will be opened in 2055 and 2075, respectively.

At the center of both garden sections are four bronze lions, customized by Metropolitan Gallery in High Point, North Carolina, resting on 65-inch solid granite bases that are 80% built to scale and arranged in a square-like pattern. Similar bronze lions are also prominently featured at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington D.C., honoring the sacrifice and dedication of law enforcement across the country. Of the four lions, there are three males, one standing, one crouching, one lying down, and one female lying down. The lions have a significant meaning to law enforcement, as just as lions protect their family from danger, so do officers protect the Lynchburg community from harm.  On the ground, a 12 by 24 granite paver will explain the significance of the lions to all who visit the garden.

A historical nugget about this project that may be unknown involves the 19th Belgian cobblestones that the city has been removing from old streets but has been saving them upon removal. Instead of discarding them, the city plans on utilizing them to curb the entirety of the honor garden, including the areas surrounding the memorials. An access road that runs behind the garden will also have space for food trucks to potentially use multiple times per week, attracting more residents and visitors to both the garden and the station.

Police Foundation Impact

Wingfield thanked the city of Lynchburg for their support of both law enforcement and the police foundation and shared that the campaign for the honor garden focuses on three things:

1. Paying for the garden.
2. Maintaining the garden throughout its life.
3. Supporting the projects done by the foundation to support members of the force.

These projects include scholarships to help children of law enforcement attend college and monetary awards for recognizing officers who perform exceptional service for the community, such as Officer of the Month and Communicator of the Year. Wingfield shared examples of how officers put their lives on the line daily for the community that often goes unnoticed, such as when one officer helped rescue people out of a burning vehicle immediately after a wreck on a nearby highway.

There is a significant opportunity for Greater Lynchburg residents to support the foundation’s campaign and recognize the incredible sacrifice and commitment to service performed 24/7 by our police officers. The roots of the Lynchburg Police Department trace back to 1805 when the city was first incorporated as a town. Initially, the embodiment of law enforcement was in the form of a "Watch" or Patrol officer. As Lynchburg flourished into a bustling trading hub facilitated by canals and railroads, the need for a Night Watch became evident. Comprised of seven dedicated individuals, the Night Watch safeguarded our town.

In recognition of these early pioneers in Lynchburg's law enforcement history, the Lynchburg Police Foundation is extending an opportunity for community members to participate in our campaign.

Both individuals and businesses can purchase either a 4x8-inch brick engraved with text for $100, an 8x8-inch brick with text and logo for $500, or an 8x8-inch First Watch memorial area, for $1000. Due to contractor requirements, all brick orders must be placed by August 1^st. After that date, the first round of bricks will line the entire main walkway on both the left and right of the walkway as you approach the main entrance to the police department, according to Wingfield.

 For more information on the “Honor Campaign,” and to support the project with the purchase of an engraved brick, click HERE.

For more information on the overall mission and work of the Lynchburg Police Foundation, click HERE.