Quote Originally Posted by HOT ROD View Post
Our police station in Seattle fronts the corner of a major block in downtown seattle - huge curb appeal and interaction with the street without even having anything to interact to. and right next to the Municipal Court building (also a modern, sleek building) and immediately across the street from city hall (also a modern building) and the Seattle Municipal Tower. Everything Seattle govt you need is more or less at 5th Avenue and Cherry Street.

One more thought - I'd think personal common sense would lend a person to not want to go to the Police HQ, not a bad design. On the flip side, wouldn't it be nice if the Police HQ was inviting so the community could liaise with the police and even have functions in their building. ...
This exactly. Gov't & Municipal buildings should be inviting to the public in general. It helps make them more accessible to the general public and forces them to be active members of their surrounding areas. I would argue this is doubly important for the city police force, especially at a time where police distrust feels higher than normal. If that was achieved with the new HQ, I could only see it as a tremendous positive for the surrounding business district and future residents.

With regards to the general sentiment of focusing too much on safety & security at the expense to other elements, a parallel can be seen looking at US embassies (places with a much greater need for security than local buildings IMO). The outward appearance of a building and its interactivity with its surrounding community can affect people's perceptions of the people who house them and the agencies behind them—regardless if that's fair or not. Fortress America: How the U.S. Designs its Embassies - CityLab