perhaps you should look beyond bricks and mortar for inspiration...its all there in front of your nose.

i'd think that you would want to spend some serious time considering the role Police Officers play in our day to day lives vs the extremes some people would have you believe they represent. Public Servants and Community Leaders vs Authoritarian Figures. Look at the role Police play in other parts of the world. Less Democratic nations use police in more authoritarian ways and the police stations themselves reflect that. Bunker vs spec office space....extremes to consider. in large, busy cities, Police Departments often set up small, very public substations (often in high crime areas) as deterrent and to shorten response time. That shows what these large cities have to focus on.

Also, most police stations are considered Emergency/Extreme Building types and should be built to reflect a need for their services even in the most dire weather/riot/fire/flood disasters. Fire stations are the same way. i'm blanking right now on the code/construction type but check it out. That could help narrow your material/programming foci.

I just remembered that a few years back Architectural Record had an issue that featured several 'small US town municipal designs'. one of these was a police station. I remember that it had a simple but elegant public face with a multipurpose room, glass enclosed, that served as public forum, press release room, community center, etc....read; not a bunker perception.
I'm sure your U. Library has it.

just remember, 99.9 percent of Police Officers never perform 'riot duty'...
They are the first one on the scene of car accidents and to hold the hand of a dying driver, the one to administer first aid, the one to deliver a baby, help a kid understand why he had to take his daddy to jail, save a drowing man, educate children in the classroom about the dangers of drugs, and the only person committed to, even when off duty, keeping our communities safe. The Thin Blue Line.... http://www.nleomf.com/

Best of luck on your project NSJ. I hope that it goes well.

oh, i just remembered something i saw in a documentary about the NYPD. they have always had a green lantern/light outside the door to the precincts to identify it along the street. This tradition continues today. Something to consider if your project is in NYC (inferred since not many departments still use 'precinct' or are large enough to need multiple stations/districts).

http://www.nycpolicemuseum.org/html/faq.html#green

nsj,

i know a lot of police stations are becoming a hybrid of community center/outreach facilityboys+girls club/station. especially in the 'bad' neighborhoods, it's gives a protective/safe place for the community to be a community (which mose 'bad' neighborhoods lack). it also serves as good PR for the police/community relations.
only one i can think of offhand as a precedent:
http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek04/tw0813/0813pw_hollenbeck.htm

goodluck.

you could listen to some village people records

They keep telling me that architects are increasingly asked to become involved in programming and to think beyond the brief. I see mixed use donut shop brilliance.

weil arets has done two or three....i think. not sure that they will be helpful to you in a get the project rolling manner, but worth a look. he has a website, find it.

also - i think that the precinct / station in times square either got rebuilt or was under scrutiny as an competition - look at the aro recruiting center near the same location.

InstrumentOFaction, your powers of deduction are spot on. The project is in NYC.
Definitely the most interesting part of the problem for me is negotiating the balance between authority and community. The site is in a neighborhood with a pretty recent history of tension with the police.
Thanks for the help everyone.

NSJ, sounds like you do have a challenge on your hands. I'm sure this is also a convenient exercise for you to consider what Architecture has the power/will/opportunity/obligation to influence. I would think your obligation as a designer is to think less about the immediacy of the community/police tension and more toward the larger picture. This building will not solve the issues the community has with the police in every sense so don't imagine that it will. The police do their job and you have to as well.

The balance you speak of is a real challenge for police officers. Look at NYC in particular... NYPD now places special squad or SWAT officers in very public places with renewed post-9/11 anti-terrorism interests. The officers are more heavily armed/armored and the public's perception is two fold. To some residents or tourists, this presence is seen as a militarization of the police, or a reminder of issues they'd rather forget....or some people respect the show of force and it makes them feel safer. this duality haunts every police officer and police department.

They have to be outgoing and friendly to the public in every instance...even while being called 'donut munching pigs', and being spit on...but they also have to protect those spitting on them the next instance...this duality is tough to deal with day in and day out. I think its like parenting. you can't be your child's 'best buddy' because they'll roll over you and you'll have no authority...but you can't be a harsh dictator either for fear of rebellion or non-communication...

Fair and just...protect and serve...that is their pledge and your responsiblity to reinforce through Architecture. Best of Luck, NSJ.