Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Grand opening of new Metro Patrol Division station set for tomorrow


PRESS RELEASE:

Kansas City Police and community leaders will cut the ribbon at 2 p.m. tomorrow to celebrate the opening of the new Metro Patrol Division station at 7601 Prospect Ave.

The ceremony, which is open to the public, will include a tour of the building and remarks from Chief James Corwin, Board of Police Commissioners President Patrick McInerney and Mayor Mark Funkhouser.

The $17 million facility is 28,000 square feet and includes two outbuildings to house KCPD’s specialty vehicles, including Tactical Unit tanks, the Command Post bus and the Bomb and Arson Unit vehicle. The new Metro Patrol Division station replaces the one at 1880 E. 63rd Street, which was built in 1975. At just 10,200 square feet, the old station is in such poor condition that it will be demolished once police have completed their move to the new location.

The new Metro Patrol Division was funded by the Public Safety Sales Tax that voters approved in 2002. It is located on the site of the former Fairyland Amusement Park and will serve more than 97,100 Kansas City residents who live in the Division.

Police will begin operations out of the new station at 9 a.m. Friday, June 18. Residents should continue to use the old 63rd Street station until that time.