Chester Police Department prepares for new headquarters

The Chester Police Department is another step closer to moving into its brand new headquarters, according to our partners at CN2 News.

The department settled on a contractor earlier this week, and police told CN2 they have everything they need to turn a bank on Church Street into their new home base.

CN2′s Zane Cina was able to tour the bank before its transformation with Chester Police Chief Curtis Singleton, who shared his goals for the department’s future.

“One of the goals is to make sure that city hall and the police department are one, work hand in hand,” Singleton said, “So, what better way to do it than being in the same building.”

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To help the combination work, the police department will take the upstairs floor, and city employees will work on the ground floor, where office space and a courtroom will be built, CN2 reports.

“Being able to see every coworker every day, knowing who you work with, it builds a relationship with HR, builds a relationship with the department, builds a relationship with the city administrator, and makes everyone approachable,” Singleton told CN2.

Although the inside of the building could use some updates, the chief said there are already advantages to the new location like easier access for the public and a better parking lot for police.

“When we pull out of the Police department over there on that hill, we got that traffic light there for an emergency and I’ve always felt like that is just a road hazard. Being able to pull out on a level lot when you’re running code, makes a big difference in officer safety,” Singleton said, CN2 reports.

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