MARSHFIELD, WI (WSAU) — A building gifted to the City of Marshfield could become the new home of the Police Department.
Chief Jody Geurink says it would be a major blessing for his department, which is struggling with cramped work and storage space.
“[Right now] we have two desks in each office for our officers,” said Geurink. “There are times where one officer may be doing a report, then a citizen or victim may come in to file a complaint. [If that happens] one officer may have to leave their paperwork so the other officer can take the complaint, and allow the victim to speak in privacy.”
New laws are forcing the department to hold on to evidence longer as well, which means they are running out of places to store those items. Additionally, Geurink says there are times when traffic may back up outside their driveway because of a trail or stoplight, which can impact their ability to respond to emergencies.
The building in question is known as the Buffalo Building at 2504 S Central Avenue near Wildwood Park. Geurink says the city parks department has already passed on it since they don’t need more space, but initial surveys show that it could be just right for the Police Department.
“We had a small team of city employees go through it [including] a few members of the Police Department, IT, and some of our Building Services. From what they saw it has really good potential, and the square footage matches our office needs,” said Geurink.
Additional surveys will be done over the summer and if those check out the city could begin refurbishing the structure later this year. A timeline for a grand opening remains unclear, though Geurink says if he could he would start moving the department into the space tomorrow.
