Email
Print
Police presence in South Statesville moving to Fifth Street facilities
The Statesville Police Department is moving its South Statesville substation to the Fifth Street Ministries building.
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: June 25, 2009
The "For Lease" sign in front of the Statesville Police Department substation on Shelton Avenue is not a sign that the SPD is abandoning its presence in South Statesville.
Instead, said Chief Tom Anderson, the department is seeking to move its operations further into the center of the community.
The SPD is teaming up with Fifth Street Ministries to place its South Statesville substation in the new Fifth Street Shelter facility.
And, the Weed and Seed coordinator's office and that of the new community liaison that is part of a state grant, will be located in the South Statesville Skills Center office. A code enforcement officer will also operate out of the skills center.
Weed and Seed is a Department of Justice-funded grant program that seeks to "weed" out bad elements and "seed" in good ones. The South Statesville area was designated as a Weed and Seed target area.
The state grant is funding gang intelligence officers at both the SPD and the Iredell County Sheriff's Office and a community liaison position.
"Basically we're looking at moving into the center of the target area," Anderson said. "We'll be there to solve problems and get to know the people in the community."
Anderson said this is just one way in which he is hoping to diversify operations for the police department, and he is looking at another satellite location at the opposite end of the Weed and Seed target area.
He plans for that satellite office to be the home of the gang intelligence officer.
"We hope we can deter a lot of crime," he said.
Anderson said he believes a presence at Fifth Street Shelter will help provide an added sense of security for some of those who are utilizing that facility.
"There are families there, and we hope this will give them an added sense of security," he said.
Patti West of Fifth Street Ministries said allowing the police to use a couple of offices at the new shelter was an easy decision.
"It will certainly increase our security," she said.
But, like Anderson, she believes moving the officers into the heart of the community is a good idea.
"They will be more centrally located than they were on Shelton Avenue," she said.
West said it also emphasizes the partnership between local agencies that was instrumental in obtaining the DOJ Weed and Seed designation.
"It says we're partners and we're willing to work together," she said.
Anderson said the former bank building that has been the home to the South Statesville substation for many years served its purpose, but moving to the more centrally located Fifth Street is best.
He said the city has been paying rent on the building and will have to do so at the skills center.
"That rent will not exceed what we're paying now for the bank building," he said. "We'll be moving into a newer facility at the same cost."
Anderson said he's pleased with the reception from both the Statesville Housing Authority, which owns the skills center, and Fifth Street Shelter representatives.
"They've been very gracious in allowing us to use parts of their facility," he said.
In addition to the offices at Fifth Street, the SPD will have access to a conference room, which could also serve as a place to perform in-service training for officers, Anderson said.
"We think this will put officers where they're needed the most," he said.
West summed up the partnership simply. "We're thrilled," she said. "I think this is going to be good for all of us."
Email
Print
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
