Long-Awaited Police Station Opens In North Miami-Dade County
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A long-awaited police station, which authorities and local officials hope will lead to less crime and more development, officially opened Thursday in the north part of Miami-Dade County.
The Northside Police Station, which was celebrated Thursday with a ceremony, was a long time coming.
"This was a promise made to our community. This has taken 10 years but we're here despite many delays and challenges," said Commissioner Jean Monestime.
The station is named after Major Roslyn McGruder Clark who worked to reduce crime throughout the Northside. She died 15 years ago today.
Click here to WATCH Maggie Newland's report
Now county leaders hope the new station will continue her legacy of fighting crime and violence.
The goal is for police to work along with the community and they want the station to feel welcoming—a place people can come to solve problems.
"The benefit of having this kind of station is the fact it's on a main thoroughfare as you notice as traffic is going in both directions at all times, said Director J.D. Patterson with the Miami-Dade Police Department. "It sends something about…a statement about our community is together, our community is progressing, and we care about what's happening in this community."
The brand new building will also bring officers new technology, some of which they didn't have in their old location.
"That building was almost 40 years old and the technology from that building was 40-years-old and the infrastructure was 40-years-old," said Patterson.
Major Clark died exactly 15 years ago to the day of the building's opening ceremony. Her son and stepson were in attendance for the dedication.
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