Merced police looking to increase presence downtown with new substation. Here’s where
As part of an ongoing effort to boost safety downtown, Merced police are opening a substation just a short walk from the heart of Main Street.
Located in the Shannon Parcade, in what used to be the UC Merced Venture Lab, the new substation is also expected to help relieve some of the overcrowding at the department’s West 22nd Street headquarters.
Chief Tom Cavallero said the 1735 M St. substation will house about 30 people from several units — including officers from the Investigations, Gang Violence Suppression, Code Enforcement and the Disruptive Area Response Team (DART).
There will also be staff from Behavioral Health, Valley Crises Center and Adult Protective Services, Cavallero said.
A small amount of staff have already been working out of the location for the past few weeks, after the space was reconfigured for a public safety-type setting.
Cavallero said additional staff will begin to move into the office space as more furniture, cubicles other items become available.
Officials hope the move will be complete by the end of summer. “We’ve been severely overcrowded there (at the 22nd Street Central Station) for years so this is a big relief,” Cavallero said.
The department’s downtown officer, who is attached to the DART Team, will also work out of the recently-acquired office space.
“It keeps her in the downtown area while she’s having office hours or taking care of paperwork,” said Cavallero. “Plus if she’d like to meet anyone here or host any kind of meeting, this space is made for that.”
Merced City Manager Stephanie Dietz said the city has been evaluating and identifying the growing needs of the the police department for many years.
The space where the Venture Lab had been seemed to be the first ideal location to move some essential services into a modern location at a low cost.
Plus, Dietz said the substation is a result of ongoing community conversations the city’s had about facility needs, while trying to be as creative and thoughtful as possible.
Because the substation is located on city owned property, the annual cost to operate the facility will likely be on the lower end of $50,000 to $100,000, as the only costs expected to be incurred by the city will be utilities.
“That’s what makes it so attractive,” she said.
The cost of operating the facility is nominal compared to what it would cost to build and operate a larger facility, according to Dietz.
Rather than build one new large facility in the $45-$50 million dollar range, the city is looking at better ways to maximize available space while relieving some of the overcrowding at Central Station. “The council has been very supportive of the concept,” Dietz said.
The location means there will be more police in the downtown area, with an opportunity for more community-style policing.
It will also house police resources previously located the Bell Post Office federal building.
This story was originally published April 27, 2022 at 5:00 AM.