Running out of room

Ontario Police Department Capt. Mark Alexander stands in a crowded office at the police station Friday afternoon. The Ontario Police Department has run out of space but any plans to build a new police facility are in limbo because of a lack of city funds.

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And the city doesn’t have enough of it to build a new station.

At least not yet.

“I see the need. But I also see the need not to increase taxes right now,” Ontario Mayor Joe Dominick said.

Dominick said just one glance at the cramped facilities at the Ontario Police Department tells the story.

Ontario City Council Ron Verini confirmed the department’s facilities are way too small for the kind of work police must do now.

“It is absolutely packed. We don’t have proper holding facilities. It is just cramped. Chief (Mike) Kee’s office isn’t even on the same floor,” Verini said.

Kee conceded his department needs more room, but he also admitted he has no clear idea — based on the current economic situation — how to find cash for a new building.

One thing he is sure of, he said, is the need to keep the dialogue between residents, elected officials and the police regarding a new station going strong.

“We have that (a new police station) in the budget as an unfunded need. But we can’t let it drop off the radar screen. I know we don’t have enough money to build a police department, but that doesn’t mean we can’t keep talking about it,” he said.

Potential risks

Cramped quarters at the police department are not only a problem for the officers charged with protecting the community but also contribute to other troubling factors.

For example, Kee said, there are problems regarding the separation of juveniles and adult offenders because of the lack of space at the station.

“You’ve got to have juveniles who are detained not only out of sight of adults who are detained but out of hearing range,” Kee said.

Kee said the potential legal ramifications of such limited choices regarding where to house juveniles and adults is worrisome.

“The thing that worries me the most, and this will happen, is we are going to meet in the hallway with some intoxicated adult who is screaming a blue streak with a 13- year-old female runaway. That is not a good thing to subject a 13-year-old runaway to. Her mom and dad are not going to be happy about that, and they could punish the city for it,” he said.

Verini said he is aware of that potential problem and believes it is an issue the City Council must ponder carefully.

“It is not really an environment that is safe, I think, for our citizens,” he said.

The department currently operates within 1,500 square feet. That space, though, is tight, Kee said.

“That’s all of our report-writing room, break room, our prisoner-holding room, interview room, that’s everything. Our evidence room is not even attached to our police department,” he said.

In another distressing issue related to outdated facilities, Kee said the fact his officers cannot park their police vehicles in a secure location often leads to vandalism.

“Bricks through windshields. We’ve had cars keyed, tires slashed,” Kee said. Seemingly small items make a big difference, Kee said.

“Say we have a vehicle that is involved in a serious crime. We need a compound, an impound lot, where we can go inside and examine a vehicle,” he said.

Kee said Ontario has outgrown its police department facility.

“Our needs have changed. For example, when this was built, we did not even have computers. We have five computers now, and all of the officers share them. We are out of space for lockers,” he said.

Kee said, while money for a new station is clearly the key factor in any future plans, he believes it is critical that the debate continues.

Creating coalitions between agencies to share costs for a new facility may be a good way to go, Kee said.

“Let’s find out what we need. We have an old master plan. We have an idea on square footage. And we know there are partners out there with much the same mission as us,” he said.

Dominick said, until the economy improves, going to voters to foot the bill for a new police station simply is not in the cards.

He said, however, there are other methods, such as grants or federal stimulus money that may be viable alternatives.

“I believe it is something for the future. When I went to the League of Oregon Cities meeting, we found out the Ford Foundation does have public safety grants, and we are pursing that, looking into whether we qualify,” he said.

Pat Caldwell is the editor of the Argus Observer. He can be contacted at PatC@argusobserver.com.