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********************NEWS
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05/05/2005
Manvel Police Department on the Move
The department, which has long had its home in a trailer
behind the town's City Hall, has entered into a lease agreement with the former
home of Manvel Dental Center as their new location. The Dental Center has
relocated to Rogers Street. The building, located at the corner of Highway 6 and
McCoy Road, is currently being remodeled to suit the department, according to
Manvel PD Chief Ralph Garcia.
"It will give us a little more than double our current building size," Garcia
said. "It will be more of a proper police facility, which we've been needing for
years."
The two major additions the new station will provide are an improved
dispatch/communications area that will host a new Motorola communications
console obtained by the department through a Homeland Security Grant and a
holding area.
While he expects to be able to move in the next month, Garcia said there is a
lot of work in the process of making the former dental office a police station.
"A lot has to happen," Garcia said. "New phones have to be installed, and new
servers.
"It's a pretty time consuming project, but it is needed. It's a move toward the
department being self-supportive and will be something the citizens can be proud
of."
The lease agreement with Dr. Peter Marsh, owner of the building, holds the
building until October for $5,000. Afterward, the lease will be paid at $1,300
monthly, and increase to a total of $1,800 by increments of $100.
After five years have elapsed, the City and Marsh will negotiate whether to
continue the lease or arrange purchase of the building. Garcia noted that with
Manvel's growth, the department may need to make another step in that time.
"We're way ahead of our five year projection plans (of growth)," Garcia said.
The Manvel PD Chief noted the department's thankfulness for Marsh's help, as
well as that of James Madsen of Armour Homes for help with remodeling and
Manvel's Mayor and Council for working on the deal.
"Without their help, we would have never gotten through it," Garcia said.
The move comes on the heels of many changes at the department, according to
Garcia. The department has added new laptops to their vehicles, which are
equipped with electronic ticket writers. Officers can now also generate accident
reports from their vehicles.
The department is also experimenting with wireless Internet access to further
communication between officers. Manvel is also working towards obtaining
emergency generators for the new station, through a Homeland Security Grant
program.
Article Courtesy of
Alvin Sun-Advertiser
Garrett Bryce, Staff Writer |