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Monroe Police Department proposes $12.5 million bond for new building connected to fire department

If the bond passes on Nov. 8, locals can expect construction to begin soon after, with the building's completion scheduled for the fall of 2024.

MONROE, Mich. — Since the 1990s, the Monroe Police Department has called 100 E. Second Street home. But the director of public safety, Chad Tolstedt, said his department has outgrown the building.

"We feel it's time to restructure, and part of that restructuring process is to build this new police station," he said.

Tolstedt said their current crime lab is now split across three areas of the city because all of the equipment can't fit in a single room. And he said officers aren't close enough to their partners at the fire department either, which is they plan to expand off the existing fire station on Third Street.

"All the police officers are cross-trained as firefighters, so by building this new police station it brings all the groups closer together and it brings all of our command structure back as well," Tolstedt said.

The bond would also fund bigger office spaces, a full-sized training facility and a crime lab that will fit all of the equipment in one room.

Monroe police predict the $12.5 million bond will cost the average Monroe homeowner about $49 dollars per year for the next 21 years.

Tolstedt acknowledged that price tag that might be too big for some voters. Some commenters on the city of Monroe's Facebook page spoke out against the proposed change. WTOL 11 has collected several of the comments highlighting the emotion in the comments section.

Credit: WTOL 11
Credit: WTOL 11
Credit: WTOL 11
Credit: WTOL 11

It's a strong response to the proposal, but Tolstedt said he hopes the Monroe police's ongoing service to the community will help the bond pass.

"We know it's a big ask, but we also know that our citizens know we provide a great service to them," he said.

If the bond passes on after Election Day votes are tallied, locals can expect construction to begin soon after, with the building's completion scheduled for the fall of 2024.

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