The dormitory was designed to provide commodious accommodation for single constables and were cross ventilated with tilting fanlights to each room.

The exterior of the building is substantially intact and much original interior fabric survives including window and door joinery; fibrous cement ceilings with timber cover strips; decorative plaster ceilings; plaster and timber skirtings and architraves; timber picture rails; decorative elliptical arch between the lobby and hall; terrazzo floors to the main entrance lobby and main hall; the main and subsidiary staircases with terrazzo treads and landings, silky oak handrails and newels, decorative wrought iron balustrading and decorative consoles to the flat arched approaches to the stairwells.

[1] Designed by Raymond Clare Nowland, an architect in the Department of Public Works (DPW), the Fortitude Valley Police Station was constructed during an intensive public works building program undertaken by the Forgan Smith Labor Government in Queensland during the 1930s to counter the effects of the Great Depression.

He produced the most significant buildings of his career between 1932 and 1942 including the University of Queensland Mayne Medical School at Herston (1939); Brisbane Dental Hospital and College (1941); Police Barracks, Petrie Terrace (1942); the Cairns Court House Complex (1935), the Rockhampton Courthouse, Toowoomba Police Station Complex and Maryborough Government Offices Building.

The prominent tiled hipped roof is interrupted at the street corner and building ends by high narrow parapets with relieved quoining.

[1] Single-height Doric columns flanked by rusticated pilasters beneath a dentilled cornice frame the main corner entrance portico which contains a set of terrazzo stairs and landing.

Overlooking Wickham Street from the first floor, an open porch framed by four half-height rendered Doric columns has an elegant, projecting oval balcony with decorative wrought iron balustrading.

Bold brackets to lined roof eaves project over the plain flat arched sash windows to the first floor.

[1] The narrow high triangular parapeted rear entrance is accessed from the courtyard from a door sheltered by a moulded concrete awning supported by consoles which sits beneath the large semi-circular window which lights the main stairwell.

The rooms retain their original spatial forms with some changes to doorways, some added internal glazing and refurbishment of tiling and fittings to the lavatory areas.

The tilting fanlights to the bedrooms remain along with window and door joinery, architraves, skirtings, picture rails, fibrous cement ceilings with timber cover strips.

A retaining wall separates the yard from the adjacent police car parking area which looks onto the former Fortitude Valley State School.

[1] Fortitude Valley Police Station was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 24 June 1999 having satisfied the following criteria.

The prominent siting, scale and form of this distinctive L-shaped building to the corner of Brookes and Wickham Streets demonstrate the emerging importance of Fortitude Valley as an urban centre and the development of law and order services in the district.

[1] The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history.

[1] The Fortitude Valley Police Station is important for its association with the extensive public works building program undertaken by the Forgan Smith Government throughout Queensland during the 1930s.