“This is a big deal for the city because it shows the vibrance of the city, the health of the police department, how an organization can grow and have outstanding facilities for the men and women who do this job tirelessly every single day,” HPD Chief Noe Diaz said.
Central Patrol serves Districts 1 and 2, which encompass landmarks, neighborhoods and Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone areas such as:
- Memorial, Sports, Eleanor Tinsley and Moody Parks
- Buffalo and White Oak Bayous
- Fourth Ward
- Montrose
- Washington Corridor
- Midtown
- Upper Kirby
- Heights
The context
Central Captain Jennifer Kennedy told Community Impact that the original Central Patrol Station was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey, which left multiple divisions displaced and not in workspaces properly designed for their work, such as the vehicular crimes division, according to previous Community Impact reporting.
She said the new building is designed to support the patrol division, with dedicated roll call rooms, dedicated huddle rooms, sergeant rooms and a fitness room. The new 57,000 square-foot facility will also include a 274,000 square-foot parking garage with 600 parking spots that will be used for both the patrol station and the Houston Public Works Permitting Center.
“It's not often that we get to move into a building that was designed specifically for the patrol division to operate out of,” Kennedy said. “A lot of times, we end up taking over old buildings designed for different purposes, and we just have to make it work for us. So this is just an incredible opportunity to start from the ground.”
What else
Diaz said HPD will use the Central Patrol Station model to renovate other stations that need revamping; however, he did not specify which ones needed improvement.
