Baltimore Police Central District, Public Safety Offices Will Move To Former Baltimore Sun Building
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The Baltimore Police Central District and other public safety offices will move to the former Baltimore Sun building
The Board of Estimates voted to approve the lease for the relocation in its meeting Wednesday.
The city will continue the exploration of consolidating many public safety services on other floors within the building.
"This is a win-win for Baltimore," Mayor Jack Young said. "By moving many of our public safety office buildings that require tens of millions of dollars in capital to modern facilities that better serve the community,"
He said moving would eliminate capital expenditures so they have more to spend on education, recreation programs and business recovery.
He said many of the properties they are vacating leave more space for community development.
"The redevelopment of these communities will be done right and with full community participation,"
Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said that maintaining a professional work environment and having the proper equipment is a top factor that affects work performance and morale, and it's a great day for the Baltimore Police Department.
"Improving the working conditions for the men and women of the Baltimore Police Department has long been a priority of mine," Harrison said.
The current Central District station has been "uninhabitable" for over a year, Harrison said.
He said this move is long overdue.
"If we expect professionalism for our officers, we owe them no less than a professional work environment in return, and a place they can now call home, a place they can take pride in," Harrison added.
The police commissioner said this will not only consolidate resources but optimize the department's efforts to reduce crime and build community relationships.
He said this is part of a multi-faceted plan to bring all BPD facilities into the 21st century, and the plan includes adding cameras, updating districts and other "cutting-edge technologies" to be deployed to the department's members.
