BUFFALO, N.Y. — It's out with the old and in with the new for the Buffalo Police Department.

After 100 years at the headquarters at Franklin and Church Streets, the department is moving its headquarters to a new location downtown.  

“For the next two weeks, we anticipate that our entire detective division will be relocated to the Dillon Courthouse," on Court Street, Buffalo Police Captain Jeff Rinaldo said. "After that, we will begin working on administrative staff as well as our property unit.” 

The move is expected to take about 30 days. The accident investigation and internal affairs divisions were the first to move on Monday.

 

 

The property unit in particular could pose the biggest challenge, Rinaldo said.

"In the lifespan, it has been nearly 100 years and we have well over 100,000 pieces of property evidence that needs to be moved and as it’s moved and had to be escorted by a police officer piece by piece," he explained.

While it’s going to be a lot of work, Rinaldo says it gives the department an opportunity to digitize its evidence, making it easier to find it when needed.  

"It was a project we began about two years ago, but since we have so much, we could only do new evidence coming in," Rinaldo said.

From moving desks to computers, there is a lot of excitement.  But officers are now facing a new type of growing pains. 

"Police officers tend to be slow to accept change," Rinaldo said. "We have tried to make the building better for everyone. Now, it's just getting into a new routine. For example, this morning I was driving to work I had to stop at the courthouse before I came and I missed the exit.” 

 

 

But once settled, it will be a chance to fill in the space, making it home.

"There are a couple of units that will be on the table within the next year or so, we will look at what we will do if we add to them,"Rinaldo said. "You know this building is just smaller."

If, during the move, a Buffalo resident needs information from the police or some paperwork, those requests should be made to the nearest district office.  Rinaldo said the new office should be online and prepared to offer assistance again beginning October 1.

The grand opening is scheduled for November 1.