FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22, 2025
Oak Harbor City Council Approves Purchase of Public Safety Facility
Oak Harbor, WA – The Oak Harbor City Council approved the purchase of a 13,000 square foot facility that will provide expanded space for the Oak Harbor Police Department (OHPD) and will directly support law enforcement operations and regional drug enforcement efforts in Island and Skagit counties. The purchase price was approved at $2.75 million, significantly below the combined listing price of more than $3.2 million. At just $211 per square foot, the City secured the property at a cost well below comparable facilities, which average around $667 per square foot. “Investing in a dedicated public safety training facility reflects the Mayor and City Council’s unwavering commitment to protecting the community and ensuring our police officers have the resources, skills, and professionalism needed to serve with excellence,” stated Chief Slowik.
Funding for the purchase comes from a variety of existing resources such as State of Washington grant funding, opioid settlement dollars, a public safety accreditation grant, 2025 police payroll savings, and allocations from reserves and the unencumbered fund balance. No new taxes or bonds are being used to fund this acquisition. The new facility will allow the Police Department to better serve the community through improved coordination and access to secure, dedicated facilities.
OHPD would like to invite the community to a public open house in early 2026. Follow the OHPD and City of Oak Harbor Facebook pages for more information.
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For additional information or press inquiries, contact Communications Officer, Magi Aguilar at maguilar@oakharbor.org.