Today the Omaha Police Department cut the ribbon on a new police station.
It’s much different than the old building it will replace.
Police say the new 7.9 million dollar precinct is all about helping strengthen relationships with the community it serves.
The new southwest precinct is clearly visible to the public unlike the old one, neighbors say was hard to find.
“It’s very out in the open, it’s beautiful what they did,” said Sheryl Miles.
“It increases the possibility of people wanting to go and spend time at the police department,” said Amanda O’Neill.
The new 22,800 square feet southwest precinct will soon be home for police officers currently working out of a space three times smaller.
“We made it so large that it would not only be useable but enjoyable, not that you come to the police department to have an enjoyable time, but there’s a service that you need or want,” said Omaha Police Captain Adam Kyle.
Kyle says this spacious facility will help increase community relations.
“This building and the avenues coming to and from are much easier to get to, and it’s more obvious that it’s a police building,” Captain Kyle said.
The public agrees.
“It’s in the open, the old one was kind of rundown down the street, so I’m glad they are really trying to up the neighborhood,” Miles said.
“I think having a police precinct so close in the area is going to be a really good thing, you are going to have more people in the area watching over things and keeping the neighborhood safe,” O’Neill said.
The facility also features a conference room for public use, which is just another way Captain Kyle says will continue building positive relationships between police officers and the neighborhood.
“This facility is not only going to make it easier for us to do it, now we have a place we can do it,” Captain Kyle said.
The new precinct is on 135th and Q and should be open by the end of the month.
