Special to the
Opelika Observer
The City of Opelika will begin construction of its new police department the first week of August. The public needs to be aware of some changes during construction. Below is a timeline of important changes:
• Aug. 8 – Last regular Municipal Court held in current location until new construction is complete.
• Aug. 9 – Municipal Court will move to the Southside Center for the Arts (formerly the Brown School) at 1103 Glenn St. Police records and police walk-in complaints will move to the City Annex Building at 608 Ave. A.
•Aug. 13 – Fencing will be put up at the current police department location and grading and demolition will begin for the new building.
• Aug. 15 – First Municipal Court to be held at the Southside Center for the Arts (formerly the Brown School) at 1103 Glenn St.
• Aug. 22 – 8:30 a.m. – Ground-breaking ceremony at police department at 501 South 10th St. Parking is available at the Southside Center for the Arts.
During construction, please note that there will be no public entrance to the police department. There will be one rear entrance for police operations only. The public will need to visit either the city annex building for police reports or walk-in complaints; or they will need to report to Southside Center for the Arts (formerly the Brown School) for court appearance. In addition, the sidewalks on 10th Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard will be closed around the police department during construction.
Anticipated completion of this project is approximately 18 months. The new building will be constructed in the parking lot of the current police department. Once complete, the old police department will be torn down and a new parking lot and kennels will be finished.
For more information, call Leigh Krehling at 334-705-5136.