“We’ve got a group of men and women who deserve this facility,” Mayor Bill Jones III said of Temple’s police officers at Thursday’s groundbreaking ceremony.
The project is expected to begin March 1 and last 16-18 months.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am,” said Police Chief Ralph Evangelous of being one step closer to having a new, much-needed facility. He optimistically said to expect a ribbon cutting within 14-16 months.
The current station, which Jones described as “woefully inadequate,” has roof leaks, flooded toilets at times, an inefficient heating, air conditioning and ventilation system, and it is too cramped.
Temple Police Department’s staff has grown 30 percent, said Evangelous, since they’ve been in the current station. Due to limited space, evidence is stored outside and officers change in hallways.
The new three-story, 50,000-square-foot police complex — to be located in the block bordered by Avenues A and B, 4th Street and 6th Street — will allow for the necessary space.
In addition to state of the art technology and an efficient heating, ventilation and air comditioning system, the new complex will have separate, private areas for more evidence storage, locker room space and storage for heavy equipment. The complex will also house the department’s new 14 officers — the department’s largest mass hiring in a long time, said Evangelous.
In addition, there will be a bronze memorial statue just outside the complex honoring fallen officers.
