Cop Cities, USA

Click on the flag to link to one source for the information on that project location.

No Known Projects
Planning/Assessment
Approved for Construction
Under Construction
Facility Open
Multiple Phases

Methodology and Basic Information

Defining a Cop City

Given the widespread usage of this map, it has become necessary to explain why such a wide range of projects have been included in the spreadsheet. The term “cop city” has been questioned by multiple outlets, however, Is Your Life Better will stand by the title of this page and the map. As the police state in this country expands out of control, funding for policing under the guise of “training” and “recruitment” grows, and the number of people killed by police increases (see mappingpoliceviolence.org) it is absolutely necessary to not dismiss any facility – no the matter, size, shape, cost or excuse – as insignificant. As such, there is an intentionality in not providing a definition. That intention is to NOT place any limits regarding which facilities and/or projects were added to the map, or considered problematic. This leaves the decision regarding an appropriate response to the residents of the surrounding community(ies).

As of the last update (July 31, 2024) the spreadsheet has been expanded and now includes over 80 projects across the country. It is worth noting that only Wyoming remains as the lone state without some type of cop city project in some phase from assessment to already opened. The PDF of the updated spreadsheet has been added to this page but the map WILL NOT BE updated. There are better maps coming available and when those are made public, this page will provide those links.

Methodology and research

The timeline for facility research was limited to those that were built, planned or construction began after 2020. This date was selected due to information gathered regarding the Atlanta Cop City, and the acceleration of the project which occurred after the uprisings which follow the police murders of both George Floyd and Rayshard Brooks.
The initial search, which resulted in approximately two dozen facilities in (or close to) urban areas, determined enough projects were being planned or constructed in multiple places after the 2020 protests to further confirm the necessity for the research.
The scope for research was expanded to not only include urban areas. In mid-October, 2023, a search was conducted by state, alphabetically. At that time, 47 cities/counties were found, with documents (meeting minutes, construction/architecture firms, news articles, and/or press releases) confirming the existence of such a project.
In preparation for a presentation with the National Lawyers Guild, a secondary search was conducted. The purpose was solely to confirm the 47 initial projects. While doing so, another 21 were discovered. While creating this map and webpage, another project was added.
As of February 17, 2024, the spreadsheet, which can be found below, provides information on any project related to the assessment, planning, approval, construction, or opening of a renovation or expansion of a Public Safety, Police Training, Academy, or Department in any state.

Projects overview

Discovered evidence of 69 related projects
There are three states in the entire country without plans for this type of project. Those states are North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming
Five of the projects seem to have viable plans to construct prior to 2020, but they are included as there would be no way to ascertain with certainty that the uprisings of 2020 had no impact on the project completion timeline.
A number of the projects upon reviewing multiple documents, indicate prior efforts, but the major push for those project began, in earnest, after the uprisings of 2020.

Project ranges

Price

Extended research (by a larger group, not behind this site) has managed to calculate the costs of cop cities to a whopping $3.39 Billion since 2020.

The cost for all of the projects was not available via internet research.
Cost for 55 of the 69 projects were confirmed, and range from just under 1M ($999,000) to a proposed $415 Million.
20 of the 55 projects cost (or are projected to cost) less than $20 Million.
19 of the 55 projects cost (or are projected to cost) between $20 Million and $50 Million.
9 of the 55 projects cost (or are projected to cost) between $50 Million and $100 Million.
7 of the 55 projects cost (or are projected to cost) over $100 Million.

Size

The confirmed range for the size of these projects are as low as a 3,500 square foot structure on 3 acres to 366,000 square foot village on 146 acres. The largest being planned, did not include details on the actual facility, but the proposed site is a whopping 800 acres.

Full Spreadsheet with all links:

Cop-Cities-isyourlifebetter.com-Sheet1 Download

Free Speech On Trial – Green Party Webinar