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November 26, 2009

Thanks: Important first step for new Swampscott police station

To the editor:

I'd like to thank Swampscott Town Meeting members for their overwhelmingly support of the police station building project. I would also like to commend the Police Station Building Committee for its hard work. A tremendous amount of progress was made in a short period of time — a credit to their commitment to this project.

The vote of Town Meeting was an important step toward a new police facility. It is a clear indication that people recognize and understand the need in Swampscott for a modern police station that is suited to the work we do in the 21st century.

Law enforcement today is far removed from the narrow scope of police work in 1938 when our current building was constructed. I view Town Meeting support as an acknowledgement of the service of our police officers, who are dedicated, conscientious, professional and take pride in their work.

In 1997, the first Police Station Committee recommended that we build a new police station at the same Humphrey Street site. At that time the estimated cost was just over $2 million. In 13 years since then, the cost for a new building has more than doubled and the condition of the existing station has only worsened.

We have a window of opportunity. It is widely recognized that the current construction market favors building a police station now. And, as the town finance committee demonstrated, because of retiring debt we can finance a new police station without increasing the town's debt service obligations.

To delay will only increase the cost of what must ultimately be addressed.

We all understand that we are in a difficult economy and that people are concerned about whether this is the right time to build a police station. However, we have reached a point when public and officer safety is at risk and we can't afford not to move forward.

A community's police station is an important civic building, one that should inspire confidence and trust in its police force, meet the needs of the community and be accessible to all. Please support the new police station with your vote on Jan. 19.

Ron Madigan

Chief of Police

Swampscott

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