New police station in Town's future

Sherrie Peif, (Bio) speif@mywindsornow.com
December 4, 2007

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When Windsor Police Chief John Michaels arrived in town in 1976, he was officer No. 5 under Chief Walter Teel. The department was located in one room in the basement of the old Town Hall on 5th Street.

Not a lot has changed in 31 years.

Although the police department has grown four-fold, with 18 law enforcement officers and two code enforcement officers, the offices have

only grown to four, and they are still in the basement of a town hall.

All that is about to change, however. At its meeting on Monday, the Town Board voted unanimously to approve the 2008 budget on first reading. That budget includes a $115,000 capital-fund-expenditure request to start the planning for a new police department.

"It's a pit," Mayor Ed Starck said about the current conditions of the police department. "I can't think of anything positive to say about it."

The request originally filed by Michaels was to expand the department's current facilities and remodel the basement. But after Town Board members toured the facility, they decided the investment wasn't worth it.

"Due to the space down there, they really need more space," Starck said. "We looked at the unfinished area, and found it to be a dungeon. The board has decided rather than put $115,000 in that portion of the facility, we would look at other alternatives. And there is nothing in town suitable, so we'll look at building another facility. It's best if (the police) are not in the same building as general admin offices for security and safety. They deal with things that are pretty difficult."

The money budgeted will pay for consultants and designers to begin looking at what Windsor needs for both now and in the future. Hopes are that construction can begin in 2009. The cost of the new facility would also be born by the town coffers. Starck said the budget has room for a new department, so there are no plans for any new taxes or bonds to pay for it.

"We need to build not only for our current needs, but for many years into our future," Michaels said. "Windsor is continuing to grow and we will grow along with it. Our police department will grow. And the building needs to be designed in a way to accommodate all that. There is nothing worse than doing a new building and 10 years from now you go, 'Oops, we made a mistake.' We need to look into the future for this building."

The department currently houses its administration, booking, patrol, and supervisors' desks in four small rooms in the basement level of Town Hall, 301 Walnut.

Starck said the time is now to change that.

"I think it's at the top of our priority for 2008," Starck said. "(The police) have been without for a long time. They've gotten by with the facilities they have to a point of neglect. I just couldn't imagine spending that kind of money on substandard conditions."

Michaels said he has no preconceived ideas about where he would like to locate. He would just like to relocate.

"It's time for us to have our own department," he said. "It's a very progressive step forward for our community. And it's one of many steps that we will see just in the next few years. This building is 100 years old, and it has a lot of history to it. But not every department housed here can function to its best."

What's next:

The Town Board will vote on final approval of the 2008 budget at its next regular board meeting Dec. 10. Stay with Windsor Now to highlight more features of next year's budget before then.