Colorado Springs Police Department opens new Sand Creek substation

After years of planning, building, the Colorado Springs Police Department finally unveiled its brand new, $16.5 million substation in the Sand Creek neighborhood.

And as the ribbon was cut Monday, a large crowd gathered in front of the new substation and celebrated the grand opening.

This new substation is more than double the size of its predecessor and will now be home to 138 sworn officers and 20 civilians serving the Sand Creek area.

Commander of the Sand Creek Division, Scott Whittington said, “It’s really wonderful, we have been in the building for a couple of weeks, so we are getting used to it and it is living up to its expectations.”

And due to its large size, Commander Whittington said CSPD will be able to bring back its gang unit, a group that was cut a few years back.

“Without having a dedicated gang unit, we have lost contact with the gang members in town. We have lost the intelligence that we had, who is wearing what colors and who is in what group,” said Whittington. “Exactly where they live and that intelligence.”

As for what this new station will feature, Whittington lists just a few of the many new items.

“We have an expanded evidence area, an expanded roll call area, we have a dedicated area for our detectives, our property crime deceives,” he said.

Mayor John Suthers, also in attendance, said this building was five years in the making.

“To get the officers properly equipped, to be able to respond in a timely fashion, so a new substation was something we had to do,” said Suthers.

And while the previous substation served the community for more than 30 years, this new building will provide a better sense of community and public safety.