Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Held November 1

On November 1, 2024, the Melbourne Police Department formally dedicated its new police headquarters facility, the Joseph Pellicano Law Enforcement Center, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house. The MPD will move into the new facility in early 2025. Many thanks to everyone who helped us celebrate this momentous occasion!

About the Joseph Pellicano Law Enforcement Center

The Joseph Pellicano Law Enforcement Center is the new consolidated headquarters building of the Melbourne Police Department. It has been designed to function for decades to come and will allow for greater efficiency in operations, provide better service to the public and will improve the city’s ability to respond to disasters.

Six years ago, the citizens of Melbourne supported City Council’s vision to replace our two outdated, deteriorated buildings with a new a facility that would consolidate all police services under one roof. On November 6, 2018, they voted to approve financing the new police headquarters facility with general obligation bonds. 

This investment has enabled the City of Melbourne to construct a state-of-the-art building that has many benefits and features that will greatly improve our service to the community now and into the future.

Public Safety and Emergency Response

The new facility has been hardened to withstand a Category 5 hurricane. Redundant systems will ensure the city’s Emergency Operations Center and 911-Communications Center will always be able to respond to the public in their time of need – even during a catastrophic storm.

Key features include concrete tilt wall construction, a generator with a 10,000-gallon fuel tank that can run the facility for two weeks, the ability to easily connect an additional generator and air conditioning system if needed, a backup water system, and a backup sanitary sewer system.

Improved Service, Community Relations and Crime Prevention

The Joseph Pellicano Law Enforcement Center’s expanded and upgraded space will enable the department to provide improved citizen and victim support services.

Victims will be better served by having private interview rooms off the lobby, and the lobby area itself will be an inviting space for those who need police services.

A multipurpose community room will provide a place for residents and officers to work together on crime prevention and other initiatives that help make neighborhoods safer.

Expanded Space for Evidence Processing and Storage

There is an auxiliary building for evidence analysis and storage not requiring climate control, and there are secure storage areas for impounded vehicles and equipment.

In addition, the facility is set up for better evidence processing that provides dedicated space for Crime Scene Investigators to conduct specific types of processing in rooms dedicated for detailed examination.

The new Property and Evidence room provides the space needed to store approximately 100,000 pieces of evidence. Expanded staff workstations will provide improved working conditions for employees and more efficient evidence processing. 

Training and Other Amenities for Police Officers

New training rooms, including a dedicated defensive tactics room and gym, will allow the MPD to host training in house. This will allow the MPD to more easily schedule needed training with less disruption to officers’ schedules.

The center also features two bunk rooms to give night-shift officers a place to rest if they are scheduled to appear in court the morning after their shift.

Outbuildings on the site include covered space for specialty vehicles, such as the armored SWAT vehicle, Command Trailer, Crisis Negotiations Van and more. 

SWAT, Dive Rescue, and other specialty teams now have dedicated storage space for their equipment.

Improved K9 Facilities

New kennels will have ample space for police K9. There is also space on the property for future outdoor training and a possible expansion for a K9 obstacle course.

Investing in the Future

The Joseph Pellicano Law Enforcement Center is 75,000 square foot, two-story building that was designed to improve current work conditions, expand departmental capabilities and improve service delivery to the community. The new building will provide a safer and cleaner work environment, additional service capabilities and will allow for expansion into the foreseeable future.

About Officer Joseph Pellicano

The Melbourne City Council named the facility in honor of Officer Joseph Pellicano, who is the only member of the Melbourne Police Department to have been killed in the line of duty.

Officer Pellicano’s End of Watch was on October 17, 1986, when he was struck by a vehicle while directing traffic at a house fire on Sarno Road.

Officer Pellicano had worked at the Melbourne Police Department as a Patrol Officer for 3 ½ years at the time of his death. He had been awarded the department’s exceptional duty service bar twice, including once in 1983 for pulling a person from a burning building.

He coached in the Police Athletic League and enjoyed working with youth to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Officer Pellicano attended Brevard Community College, where he was working toward his associate’s degree in criminal justice.

Officer Pellicano had an excellent reputation in the department and was a respected member of the law enforcement family.