Charlie Halford was 48 years old and was serving as Manteca’s police chief in 2002 when the then City Council determined there was a dire need for a new police station.

Halford started his 32-year law enforcement career with Manteca Police right around the time the current police station at the Civic Center was completed in 1976.

Manteca 50 years ago had 17,600 residents and 34 MPD employees between officers and support staff.
By the time elected leaders decided in 2002 a new police station was a high priority; Manteca was at 52,000 residents.

Halford was hopeful the new station would be up and running before he retired.

Halford stepped down in 2008 after 11 years as police chief and two false starts on the city’s part to move forward on a police station.
Halford on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 10 a.m. will finally get the chance to take an official role in the ground breaking for a new police station as a Manteca councilman in his sixth year in office.

Manteca is now pushing 98,000 residents and the department has 84 sworn police officers in addition to support staff.

And there is a chance the new police station — designed to handle the support needs for 129 officers before an expansion will be needed — will be completed before Halford’s second term on the council ends in December 2028. He doesn’t plan to seek re-election.

Once a contract is awarded, the overall $92 million project once all soft costs are factored in will take 18 months to build.

The project wouldn’t be taking place if the current council hadn’t championed the three-quarter cent Measure Q sales tax passed in November 2024.

The 20-year temporary sales tax is allowing the city to wed proceeds of an 18-year bond with growth fees not just to build the police station, but also the city’s sixth fire station and a major recreational amenity that has yet to be determined.

The 46,100 square-foot state-of-the art police station is being built in the 600 block of South Main Street.

The security upgrades are numerous. And it is more than just bullet proof glass.

The station, as an example, will be secured behind an 8-foot concrete masonry with wrought iron railing on top.

It’s a significant upgrade from the current wrought iron fence with large gaps between bars where — in the past — people have been able to reach over the top to unlock gates.

That said, the city worked to keep costs down without sacrificing security and function.

One example is instead of a sally port — a secured area where suspects can be transferred to and from vehicles — there will be a sally court.

It will still have walls and doors that can be secured once a patrol unit is inside.

But by going sans roof — which would have required mandated and expensive exhaust systems to deal with vehicles — the cost was reduced significantly. Instead, it will have a canopy style roof.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com