Calgary police will soon begin taking suspects who have been arrested to a brand new arrest processing building in the city’s northwest instead of the aging downtown facility.
According to the Calgary Police Service (CPS), the new Spyhill Services Centre will open on Wednesday.
The building replaces the almost 60-year-old arrest processing facility in the downtown core, which was built back in 1961.
According to a Monday news release, while there have been some upgrades over the years, it was becoming increasingly difficult for CPS to keep up with the demands of a growing city and the “evolving standards for in-custody care.”
“Our officers and staff have done an amazing job of making the aging facility work to meet the standards of care Calgarians expect of us,” Chief Const. Mark Neufeld said. “But there is only so much you can do in a place designed six decades ago for a city five times smaller than we are now.”
“This building will allow us to continue processing people in our custody with compassion, dignity and respect for decades to come.”
CPS said the new Spyhill Services Centre will provide a safer, more secure environment, including:
- More than twice the total cells allow for better separation of people in custody
- Separate entrances and processing areas for adults and youth to protect minors
- An enclosed bay to load and unload arrestees that is safer and protects privacy
- Modern cell design to better protect against self-harm and offer more privacy
- Modern CCTV systems allow for better monitoring of people in custody
- Additional remote hearing and consultation rooms to better facilitate conversations with legal counsel and due process
Once the new Spyhill Services Centre, located at 12500 85 St. N.W., is open, the old facility will be returned to the City of Calgary.