Police satellite office could open by July

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This article was published 06/04/2023 (942 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Brandon Police Service is expanding its footprint with a new office located in the heart of Brandon.

Chief Wayne Balcaen has said the satellite office in The Town Centre may be open by the start of July, in time for the start of foot patrols.

“It will help us have a better relationship with the clients, and with the businesses, and with people that are in the downtown area,” Balcaen told the Sun on Wednesday.

The Town Centre has offered the 768-square-foot space free of charge for two years, and officers will have around-the-clock access.

The mall’s general manager, Alan Cruise, said a heightened police presence downtown will benefit everyone.

“Safety is an issue downtown. If not in reality, certainly in peoples’ perception,” Cruise said on Wednesday. “So more police presence is good for everyone … This isn’t just for us, this is for all of downtown.”

On Monday, council approved the use of up to $25,000 from the protective services building reserve to prepare the office for police.

The money is to be used only for unspecified “remediation,” and not for items such as furnishings and phones — the police force would have to pay for those items, which could also include computers, parking and alarm monitoring.

City administration advised council that having a space downtown for police would provide an important link with the community. It would give police access to the city’s core through foot patrols, community policing officers, bylaw officers and cadets.

During Monday’s council meeting, when council approved the spending from reserve, Balcaen said the office would support plans for a beat program, community cadets or safety officers, and bylaw staff.

Administration stressed that the space would be used as an office only and not as a police service station (citizens wouldn’t be able to use the office to make complaints, for example). Although, the city noted it does align with the recommendations of Brandon’s downtown wellness and safety task force.

Balcaen had also told council that the office would provide a temporary fix for a police headquarters that is “nearing capacity” with the addition of a new cadets program and additional bylaw officers.

The downtown office would be a “stopgap” measure while other solutions are studied, including the possibility of being part of a proposed downtown “cultural hub.”

Brandon police previously had an office in The Town Centre, but that was shut down after construction was completed on the current headquarters at the corner of Victoria Avenue and 10th Street.

On Wednesday, Balcaen said the former Town Centre police office was viewed as unnecessary when the large headquarters opened in 2012. The new HQ was also considered close to downtown.

However, Balcaen said his view is that it’s beneficial to have officers “embedded” downtown to make connections with businesses and citizens.

The BPS is also in the midst of an expansion to its headquarters to accommodate 17 new detention cells, plus space for bail hearings, storage and food preparation.

» ihitchen@brandonsun.com