New Norwich police station will be on Nov. 7 ballot

Norwich voters will decide whether the city’s police department will get a new headquarters.

This Election Day, voters will be asked to check ‘yes' or ‘no’ - should the city dedicate $44.75 million to a new police headquarters?

Police chaplain Charles Tyree said a new building is desperately needed.

“We can hire more than 10 officers, but we have no place to put them and no place to put their cars at this point,” Tyree said. “We outgrew the department a decade ago and it has just gotten exponentially smaller.”

The current building is 44 years old and, Tyree said, was built for approximately 48 employees.

“Now, 108 people try to work here and that is an impediment to their work, and frustration makes it stressful to work in this small space,” Tyree said. “It is so cramped in the women’s locker room that they have to share a locker. That’s not fair and not right. Our female officers deserve better.”

Tyree gave us a tour of the building. He pointed out caved-in pieces of ceiling and water damage. One of his top concerns lies in the dispatch center, which only fits two dispatchers and a supervisor. Tyree said there is a need for more staff, but there’s not enough room.

A new facility would include room for community use and allow for more interaction with the police department, Tyree said.

The ballot does not include the location of the new facility. Though, the city just purchased land near Mahan Drive with the idea to use a portion of it for a new department headquarters.

A proposed police department would be next to the senior center. The skate park would be moved to a new location.

Some voters have shared that they don’t like the location and think the department should be in the downtown. Others said the proposed location is more central.

If voters pass the referendum and approve the funding of a new headquarters, city council members would vote on the exact location at a later date.

The referendum is Nov. 7.