NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Police Department's new headquarters are a far cry from its 68-year-old station on Summer Street. 

 

There's a lobby for the public, separate offices for personnel, a sally port, men's and women's locker rooms, new lockups, climate control for the electronics, security for evidence, and a large training room with kitchenette with an eye toward community events. And lots and lots of space.

 

It has a lot of what the old building doesn't have — security, privacy and room to move. Also it's clean and has no mold, water leaks or duct tape on the windows to keep the cold out.  

 

Mayor Jennifer Macksey gave a tour on Monday of the force's spacious new digs in the former juvenile court on Holden Street. The chief and the sergeants are already working out of the nearly 11,000 square feet of space and the rest of the force, except for dispatch, is expected to be operating there by Wednesday. 

 

"I'm still very focused at this point that we will build a public safety complex somewhere within the city," said Macksey. "Right now, the push for this building was not only to improve the conditions for our customers, and the staff, but we needed to get out of the police side, again, mostly because of the ADA compliance. That building is literally crumbling around us."

 

The city has been under order by the U.S. Department of Justice to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act, sparked by a complaint about the inaccessibility of the outdated police station. More than $1.2 million has been spent to bring various public buildings and sidewalks and curb ramps up to code but the major component — the police station — has so far been out of reach. 

 

Macksey had informed the City Council last December that she would move the police into temporary quarters until a plan can be developed for a new public safety complex. She described the move on Monday as "I pay rent or I pay fines," referring to the DOJ.

 

"We feel that it fulfills [the order] as far as handicap accessibility goes," she said, but noted she had not spoken with DOJ yet. "As far as the Fire Department goes, they do have an office on the ground floor. We made some configurations to the bathroom a little bit down there. So it is public friendly, handicap-accessible friendly."

 

All of the access entry points in the new space will be ADA compliant, "whether you're coming in to get an LTC or just say hello to the police officers," the mayor said. And "customers," as she describes arrests, will have an easier time being brought into the building. 

 

"Anyone who's in a wheelchair or has any difficulties navigating are usually lifted into our [old] station and that's just embarrassing," she said. "When the officers meet our customers, our prisoners, they're in trouble. They need help. And then to have to put them through that traumatic event of having to be lifted into the police station. It's just not appropriate."

 

A new building for both police and fire may take four or five years because of the complexity of the design and the search for funding for a building expected to cost well into the millions. Macksey said she would also like to see training space and possibility a location for an ambulance. 

 

"We're getting closer to now nailing down a space. I really am focused on reusing city-owned property at some point," mayor said, noting a building assessment has been done. "I'm very sensitive to the cost associated and how that will impact our residents. ...

 

"The Highway Department has received a new building, schools are getting new buildings and Spitzer Center's been renovated. And here's the good old public safety in the middle of our downtown crumbling and I just won't have that anymore."

 

Macksey said she will push for funding through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Act and is a supporter of the concept of a state public infrastructure authority that will provide capital similar to the construction of school buildings. 

 

The temporary headquarters is being funded through the city's American Rescue Plan Act monies. The rent is $10,000 to $11,000 per month for at least the next three years. Landlord Scarafoni & Associates has put $150,000 into the building and the city has put in the same amount, although a lot of that investment is in equipment and items that will stay with the department. 

 

Monday also marked the start of interim Police Chief Mark Bailey's tenure. After working out of the old station for 20 years, he said the new location seems "way too big." 

 

"But that's just because it's a real Police Department. We haven't had that and many, many years," he said.

 

Bailey's already considering how the new location will interact with the community now that there's a large meeting/training room. There's plans for a citizens academy in the fall, for example. 

 

"This is what we've been waiting for for a very long time. Now we have a fresh start, we just hit the reset button. And we just go with what we have now to start from scratch.

 

"We're very excited about it, we really are. We have everything that we need here. I mean, if we need something in the future, we know that the mayor will accommodate us and we have room for it. So we are very excited about this place."