Before a large crowd of city officials, police officers, and employees, this morning the mayor of Rock Island cut yellow, crime scene tape to dedicate the city's new police station. Construction of the $22 million building began nearly one-and-a-half years ago.
Police Chief Jeff VenHuizen says the old station is cramped, and for 75 years, his 110 employees have had to make do with less. For example, officers had to go to Augustana College to work out.
The new station on 5th Avenue also has break rooms which the department has never had before. It also has a large garage and a sallyport for indoor transfers of suspects between vehicles and the building.
Mayor Dennis Pauley says the station is more than twice the size of the old one, at nearly 55,000 square feet. And the large lobby is much more welcoming.
The Rock Island Police Department will give tours of the new station during an open house on Saturday from 10 am until 2 pm. The address is 1212 5th Avenue.
