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New police station unveiled in Blackfalds

The brand-new Blackfalds police station shows that the town’s services are starting to match its expanding population, said the town’s mayor.
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Blaze Frantz

The brand-new Blackfalds police station shows that the town’s services are starting to match its expanding population, said the town’s mayor.

Melodie Stol revealed that Blackfalds’ population is just a person short of 6,400 at the grand opening Friday of a new multi-use Protective Services station for the town’s municipal police force, fire department and the Red Deer Rural RCMP detachment.

“We are now matching our growth with fantastic services for residents,” Stol added at a ceremony that also included remarks from Alberta’s Lieutenant Governor Donald Ethell, Alberta Solicitor General Frank Oberle, MP Blaine Calkins and MLA Ray Prins.

Stol praised project organizers for getting the new police station done on time and under budget. Construction came in just over $6 million on the 20,000 square-foot project that was started in March 2010. As the cost estimate had been $7.1 million, there’s leftover money to do some fencing and other work, said Stol, who was grateful for provincial and federal partnerships.

While the Town of Blackfalds took out a loan for the station, the province and the federal government, through the RCMP, will make monthly lease payments to pay off the debenture.

Superintendent Brian Simpson, of Red Deer City RCMP, said the new station is not only a community landmark, but is already serving a practical purpose. Police response times to rural complaints are already being reduced by moving the Red Deer Rural RCMP station in Blackfalds from 55th Street in Red Deer, he added.

Under provincial legislation, all communities of more than 5,000 people must have a municipal police force, therefore, the Town of Blackfalds is getting five RCMP officers dedicated to solving and preventing crimes in the community.

Also operating out of the new station are 15 to 17 Red Deer Rural RCMP officers, who will improve safety in the surrounding area.

Integrated Traffic Services officers will also use the building, as well as staff in the Blackfalds bylaws department and Victims’ Services.

Stol said the town’s full-time fire chief will co-ordinate 28 volunteer firefighters out of the station.

And the building is equipped with broad-band radios and phone lines to make it a disaster services centre if the need arises.

Besides improved communication and integration from having all of these departments within the same building, Stol believes that having a police presence in the community should help reduce local crime.

As police officers get to know Blackfalds better through community policing, they can work on crime prevention, she added.

lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com