 |
| Police Chief Michael Guerin during the grand opening ceremony. |
 |
| Lt. Dan Ponder stands front and center with the department. |
 |
| Many people file through the lobby during the grand opening. |
Many people gathered under the hot sun on July 26 to celebrate the grand opening of the new Police and Parking Services Building and the university's continued dedication to public safety.
The grand opening gave the campus community an opportunity to tour the $4.4 million, 15,000-square-foot building and recognize the Cal Poly Pomona University Police Department and Parking & Transportation Services for their commitment to keeping the university safe.
The event began with a ceremonial processional of uniformed police officers and parking services employees driving along Oak Lane in their patrol cars and other official vehicles.
“Our officers receive the same training, meet the same standards as any other police officer, deputy sheriff or Highway Patrol officer in California,” Chief Michael Guerin said during the ceremony. “We have worked hard to improve our equipment, our procedures, and our new building is a positive validation of our professionalism.”
Members of the Pomona Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the state Office of Emergency Services attended the grand opening. A Los Angeles County Fire Department helicopter also flew over the ceremony during “The Star Spangled-Banner” just in time for “the bombs bursting in air.”
The new facility, located on the east side of the parking structure, is a welcome addition to University Police and Parking Services, which used to be located in the trailers next to the Ornamental Horticulture unit.
“The officers are very excited about the new building. It is quite a difference to being in the trailers,” Lt. Dan Ponder said.
The new police and parking headquarters houses more than 80 employees including 20 police officers, while delivering several new features that they were unable to have in the past due to space restrictions.
“This facility is a concrete example of the support Police and Parking Services have from the campus community and the university's administration,” said Vice President of Student Affairs Doug Freer. “Beyond the professional appearance, equipment and layout of this new facility, the placement of the facility on campus is important.”
The much bigger building allows University Police & Parking Services to give their administration, detectives and sergeants their own offices, while also housing the Rideshare Program.
The building's design focuses on safety and features a larger and more advanced communications room. The dispatch center includes twice as much space and newer technology acquired through a $130,000 public safety state allocation.
The dispatch center allows police officers to monitor fire alarms, break-ins, and any other emergencies efficiently through several computer monitors while being able to answer emergency calls at the same time.
The armory, which will be able to contain more ammunition, provides an area for officers to clean their equipment in an environmentally safe room. The building also contains three holding cells with cameras embedded in the walls that officers can monitor in a booking room nearby.
“This facility will further enhance the ability of Police and Parking Services to provide for the needs of the campus community, and is well overdue,” President Michael Ortiz said.