GREENSBORO—The UNC-G Police Department is finally under one roof, along with with some upgrades.
The university dedicated its new $10 million public safety building along West Lee Street last week, but officers started settling in nearly six weeks earlier. The new two-story, 27,000 square foot building houses 38 officers and 30 support employees.
“The officers had no space," said Chief Jamie Herring, UNCG Police. "They had 12 by 5 mailboxes. They carried court records and things like that in milk crates. Take them out of their personal cars and put them in patrol cars. Now they have lockers, file space, spaces they can call their own.”
After months of construction and weather delays, UNCG's Police Department is working out of its new building. It has moved everything from the three buildings it used to occupy into this one facility.
“In the past, evidence had to be transported from one building to another," said Herring. "To be able to process the evidence in the place it’s stored is more efficient.”
The new evidence room, a forensics lab and communications are just a few of the elements the department has set up under the new roof. The department also got its hands on some state-of-the-art technology.
"We don't have to do ink fingerprinting anymore," said Herring. "We have an electronic fingerprinting system. We also have the video magistrate system. When the express magistrate office is open, they can appear on video and don't have to go to the jail. Most of the time during an arrest that takes the most time."
Officers call it a vast improvement from carrying around milk crates and a safer spot along West Lee Street. The building also has a gym, weapons cleaning room and space for its K-9s.