The new facility is in a neighborhood known for drug crimes and is aimed at improving relations between police and residents.
Hamden police are stepping up their presence in the city's Highwood neighborhood, thanks to a new substation off Dixwell Avenue.
"This thing came together pretty quickly," said Police Chief Thomas Wydra.
The Highwood Substation is located in a part of the city historically known for drug abuse and rampant crime. Wydra said a strong police presence in the neighborhood will help law enforcement forge connections with the community.
"We’ll have more omnipresence and it will be a way to develop relationships," Wydra explained. "You can see the canal trail is literally steps away from us, so we can deploy our bike unit from this location. It’s a total win-win for us being here."
Wydra said the goal is to get officers out of their police cruisers and onto the streets to meet with neighbors and business owners.
"We want to make this a more pedestrian-friendly neighborhood," he said.
Mayor Scott Jackson, who will take a job with Gov. Dannel Malloy's administration next month, said he wants to return to Highwood "in a hundred years."
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He said the substation is the kind of move that could help transform a community and spark its growth solely because of the local police relationship.
“Things like this substation here today to remind folks that our law enforcement officers are there for all of us," Jackson said.
Kristina Zallinger owns an art studio next door to the substation and lives in the neighborhood. She said she's been waiting for this day.
"The main thing it means is being safe and I think a lot of people will agree with me in this complex," she said.
