Anoka County, MN, Opens New Public Safety Facility
Key Takeaways
- Designed to support increased call handling and technological advancements, the center enhances coordination between dispatch and radio services, ensuring resilient and efficient public safety operations for Anoka County.
ANDOVER, MN — Wold Architects and Engineers (Wold), a national architecture and engineering firm with deep expertise in public safety design, is excited to announce the completion of Anoka County’s new Emergency Communications Center. The facility replaces an outdated 9-1-1 Center and a Radio Technology Shop with a single, larger, technology-forward environment that prioritizes employee wellness and positions the county to meet future service demands.
The new space replaces a smaller 9-1-1 Center no longer suited to the county’s growing population and increasing calls for service. Upon opening, the new center is receiving about 1,000 calls daily. The enhanced, newly implemented technologies are designed to increase call handling capacity and result in decreased dispatcher burnout, a goal further supported by the new facility’s focus on employee wellness with a fitness room, decompression rooms and bright daylit break room.
“The design, which maximizes natural light and openness, and amenities were carefully selected to prioritize employee wellness and provide a morale boost for dispatchers whose day-to-day workload is both essential and demanding,” said Joel Dunning, government practice leader at Wold. “Finding tangible ways to improve the employee experience was at the heart of our plans. An investment in people-first design is an investment in public safety, and we’re proud to partner with the county on a space that will have a lasting impact on the community.”
Designed to accommodate projected call volume growth and advancements in emergency communication, the facility also integrates the county’s Radio Technology Shop, which maintains radio systems used in dispatching and installed in county vehicles and law enforcement agencies across Anoka County. Collocating these functions strengthens coordination, improves efficiency and supports long-term operational resilience for public safety personnel and systems.
About Wold Architects and Engineers
Wold Architects and Engineers is a full-service planning, architecture and engineering firm with its headquarters in Minnesota and offices in Colorado, Illinois and Tennessee. As a dynamic, growth-oriented company, Wold is committed to delivering exceptional results for the communities it serves. Wold ranks 25th nationally in the 2025 Building Design + Construction Top 100 Architecture Engineering Firms. To learn more, please visit www.woldae.com.