KEARNEY, Neb. - A central Nebraska law enforcement center could be on the move after 30 years of being in its current location.


Buffalo County commissioners were presented a report Tuesday outlining the findings of a needs assessment that highlighted the need for expanded space for local law enforcement.  
 
Wilkins Architecture, along input from with consultants and a steering committee, found four potential sites for the improvements. These include the current LEC property, county-owned land at the courthouse and jail, a vacant lot on Central Avenue, and a plot of land on North Avenue near Sunrise Middle School. 
 
Jacob Sertich with Wilkins said that after applying a set of criteria, including space for growth, parking availability, and future accessibility, the courthouse and jail site emerged as the most viable option.
 
“In terms of the criteria that we applied, the one location that did pass all of the requirements is the courthouse and jail property owned by the county. It passed all the categories that we established for the objective criteria, ” Sertich said. 
 
The estimated cost of the new facility ranges between $65 and $75 million.  While everything is still in the conceptual phase, Sertich emphasized that the project would allow for future growth, including potential expansion of the jail.
 
He also noted that community meetings will begin soon to gather feedback from the public and a potential bond election is slated for September or October 2025. 
 
If approved, construction could begin as early as May 2026, with the new facility expected to be completed by the summer of 2028.
 
The current LEC in downtown Kearney was remodeled in the early 1990s to serve as a law enforcement center.
 
The current building was originally constructed in the 1940s as a power company headquarters, and was officially repurposed in the early 90's for law enforcement purposes.