The station should be completed in February.
PALMER - The new police station is 30 percent complete, and the Police Department should be ready to move into it sometime in February, four months ahead of schedule.
Police Chief Robert P. Frydryk said he never thought he'd see a new police station built during his career, so to say he's happy about the project is an understatement.
The frame is up, and each week it resembles a police station more and more.
Frydryk led a tour on a recent weekday of the new 23,000-square-foot facility, which is 10 times larger than the current police station and twice the size of the town building. The new building is being built on four acres behind the Town Building-Police Station on Main Street.
Now that the building is taking shape, Frydryk's focus has turned to making the relocation happen smoothly. Things taken for granted, like bricks, are more complicated than they would seem. The color has to be taken account - this building will use a red brick tinged with black. It will match the color of the Town Building.
A special committee comprised of police officers and dispatchers has been designated to pick out colors for the inside.
Thanks to the voters last year, a $7.4 million debt exclusion was approved to fund a new station.
This past week, the Town Council approved applying for a higher rated bond through the state that will give the town a lower interest rate, saving it between $350,000 and $550,000 over a 20-year period, according to Town Manager Charles T. Blanchard. That represents much of the outstanding debt for the police project, as well as sewer and school projects, At-large Councilor Paul E. Burns said.
He said a department his size, with 21 officers, should have at least 18,000 square feet. Extra square footage was added to make sure it meets future needs, Frydryk said. The size has been the target of some criticism, but Frydryk said the facility will help meet the needs of a casino, if Mohegan Sun is successful in its bid for a license.
Said Frydryk, "It's designed to function for 50 police officers . . . there's enough room for growth."
It also can accommodate a regional dispatch center, which is something being studied with the towns of Ware, Warren and Monson.
Frydryk said he is awaiting study results from the Collins Center at the University of Massachusetts-Boston regarding a regional dispatch center. Those results should be ready this fall.
The new facility features an expanded dispatch center with bulletproof windows, a conference room, online training area, and plenty of space for records and evidence. The court officer will have his own office, and there will be interview rooms.
There is a two-bay garage, a sally port for officers to pull cruisers into to drop off prisoners (now they are brought through the waiting area where the general public may be) and cells for men, women and juveniles.
There are locker rooms for male and female officers in the basement, showers, and an area designated for a gym - the equipment will be funded by the Palmer Police Association. Upstairs, there will be an area designated for the town's emergency management director, a kitchen, and a holding room for processing prisoners.
The station is being built by Marois Construction of South Hadley. Frydryk said officials looked at other police stations around the state such as Sturbridge, Paxton, Belchertown, Holden, Montague, to get ideas for the Palmer facility.
Frydryk said officers say it's a dream come true, and surreal to see the project finally happening.
"They're really excited about it," Frydryk said.
-