Rialto Opens $82 Million Police Headquarters
The new 128 N. Willow Ave. facility adds expanded dispatch capacity and an AI-assisted real-time crime center.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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The city of Rialto opened its new $82 million police headquarters at 128 N. Willow Ave. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, with expanded dispatch capacity and an AI-assisted real-time crime center. The station lobby is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays.
Why it matters
The facility was built to accommodate an expanding department and the needs of a growing city. Police Chief Mark Kling said the building provides the technology, working conditions and service officers and residents deserve.
The Rialto Police Department now operates from the new headquarters with 140 sworn officers and about 85 staff members. The facility's AI-assisted real-time crime center is part of a nine-year, $14.3 million Axon contract signed in November 2025.
The players
Mark Kling
Kling is the chief of police for Rialto, California, who returned to the department in December 2017 after initially retiring in 2011.
Axon
Axon is a public safety technology company that supplies body-worn and in-car cameras, digital evidence platforms and related software to law enforcement agencies.
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition of civil rights organizations that has advocated for civil liberties and oversight of policing technology.
The details
The project was managed by Jonathan Serring Palmer, a Rialto police lieutenant selected by Kling, and City Manager Tanya Williams worked with them to keep costs down while maintaining schedule. The facility includes expanded dispatch capacity and the crime center, which draws on the Axon contract's automated video analysis and license plate readers.
Timeline
December 2011: Kling initially retired from the Rialto Police Department.
December 2017: Kling returned as Rialto's chief of police.
May 2024: The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights warned the Department of Justice that AI-assisted systems can amplify existing biases.
November 2025: Rialto signed a nine-year, $14.3 million contract with Axon.
Wednesday, Oct. 21: The new police headquarters opened.
Legal Context
The Rialto contract bundles Drone-as-First-Responder, automated video analysis and automatic license plate readers under one agreement. In May 2024, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights warned the Department of Justice that AI-assisted systems can amplify existing biases.
The station lobby is open around the clock, including holidays, so residents can access the department at any hour. The expanded dispatch capacity and crime center are intended to support faster responses across the city.
The takeaway
A new police headquarters is a long-term commitment to staffing, technology and public access. Residents can visit the lobby at any hour, and the department's use of AI tools will be a point to watch as the Axon contract runs.
Further reading
For more on how cities are equipping their departments, see Law Enforcement coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Inland Empire Community News.
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