Southwestern College Police Cut Ribbon on New Safety Building

CHULA VISTA, CA – Southwestern College’s (SWC) police department recently celebrated the opening of its new facility with a ribbon-cutting recently on the Chula Vista, CA, campus.

The new College Police Building gives police and their staff a new lobby that can serve more students, a modernized dispatch center, expanded offices, storage space, community space, an evidence processing facility, locker rooms, a secure armory, secure parking and an emergency operations center.

Southwestern College Safety Building

“We want to commend Chief Davis Nighswonger and his team for overseeing the construction of this facility,” said SWC Superintendent/President Dr. Kindred Murillo. “This facility is reflective of the professionalism of our officers and police personal and helps us demonstrate their philosophy of openness and inclusion.”

The 7,077-gross-square-foot facility was built by Balfour Beatty and designed by Tucker Sadler Architects of San Diego. The new building cost $8.4 million and is part of Southwestern College’s Facilities Master Plan, funded by Propositions R and Z, that will reimagine the district’s campuses and upgrade its facilities to better serve students and the community.

The College Police department promotes the safety and security of every Southwestern College campus, including the Higher Education Centers in National City, Otay Mesa and San Ysidro. The department has 12 sworn police officers and 15 non-sworn personnel.

The police department provides a number of services to the campus community and students, including parking services, escort services around campus, victim services, lost and found, jump-starting students’ cars and more.

Chief Nighswonger is hoping the building becomes a community resource. He has reached out to the Chula Vista Police Department to offer the facility as an office space for officers patrolling the east portion of the city. The chief also is hoping to bring a drop-off box for unused prescription drugs to the facility.

About Southwestern College
Established in 1961, Southwestern College is one of 115 public community colleges in California and the only institute of higher education located in south San Diego County.

Featured

  • Preparing for the Next Era of Healthcare Education, Innovation

    Across the country, public universities and community colleges are accelerating investments in healthcare education facilities as part of a broader strategy to address workforce shortages, modernize outdated infrastructure, and expand clinical training capacity. These projects, which are often located at the center of campus health and science districts, are no longer limited to traditional classrooms.

  • concentric silhouettes of a human head

    How Physical Space Shapes the Mind: Designing for Better Learning Outcomes

    Research in environmental psychology and neuroscience increasingly suggests that the way a room is designed can influence memory, focus, or even a student's sense of belonging.

  • Minnesota Middle School Finishes $23.5M Addition and Modernization

    Highland Park Middle School in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $23.5-million addition and remodel project, according to a news release. Saint Paul Public Schools partnered with ATS&R Planners, Architects & Engineers for its design and Kraus-Anderson for its construction.

  • FAU Starts Construction on Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building

    Florida Atlantic University recently began construction on a new academic building for its campus in Boca Raton, Fla., according to university news. The Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building will stand two stories, measure in at 22,000 square feet, and play home to the university’s Holocaust education and Jewish studies programs.

Digital Edition