Morocco has opened a new headquarters for its national police force, the DGSN, a vast complex in the capital designed to centralize operations, boost coordination and support the modernization of policing, officials said.
The site, built on 20 hectares in Rabat’s Riad district, brings together all directorates and entities of the General Directorate for National Security (DGSN) in a single location, enabling closer coordination of activities and real-time operational oversight.
Construction of the headquarters was launched by King Mohammed VI on April 24, 2019, in line with a July 30, 2016 throne speech in which he called on the government to equip the police institution with the human and financial resources needed to fully carry out its missions.
The project was overseen by architect Kamal Benamar and was conceived as both a workplace and a living environment for police personnel. In addition to administrative offices, the complex includes dining and leisure areas, a mosque, sports facilities and extensive parking.
The development has a ground footprint of about 37,000 square meters and a total covered area of 200,000 square meters. Outdoor landscaping and green spaces account for roughly 164,500 square meters. The main structure consists of a central eight-storey building flanked by two five-storey wings, alongside six additional five-storey buildings for various directorates and a three-storey archive facility with a basement. Parking capacity reaches around 2,700 spaces.
The headquarters houses several strategic facilities, including a heliport, a data center and a central archive unit. It also features a museum dedicated to the history of the DGSN and a 1,200-seat auditorium for conferences and institutional events.
Operationally, the complex includes two command rooms: one dedicated to monitoring via mobile cameras and drones, and another to fixed surveillance cameras, enabling real-time management of security operations. According to the DGSN, fixed surveillance networks currently include around 1,400 cameras in Rabat, 1,200 in Casablanca, 619 in Marrakech, 447 in Agadir, 194 in Tangier and 157 in Laâyoune.
The headquarters also hosts a center for producing national identity documents, with a capacity of 24,000 ID cards per day, expandable as needed. Its sports complex features an Olympic-size swimming pool, multi-sport fields, a gym and martial arts facilities, along with a wellness area. A mosque accommodating 1,600 worshippers, an armory and shooting ranges are also part of the site.
Architecturally, the building blends contemporary design with traditional Moroccan craftsmanship, including zellige tilework and woodwork. Officials say sustainability was a key consideration, with eco-friendly materials and systems aimed at saving energy and water. The site is equipped with 2,600 photovoltaic panels covering up to 60% of annual electricity consumption, in addition to 29 electric-vehicle charging stations.
The DGSN said the new headquarters reflects an effort to strengthen public security services while modernizing infrastructure and improving working conditions for police personnel.
