Peterborough Police Service Cchief Stuart Betts says regular flooding of the police station’s parking lot is another reason the service needs a new building.
On his social media accounts on Thursday morning, Betts showed himself in uniform but with his pants legs rolled up to his knees and footwear removed as he waded through the flooded police cruiser parking lot after a heavy rainfall overnight. The water was halfway up his shins as the sound of water pumps could be heard in the background.
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“That noise you hear behind me are the water pumps that pump out our parking lot each and every time we have a heavy rain,” Betts said during an Instagram live video. “Now as I’m standing here recording this I have my pants rolled up to my knees as constables have to do in order to get to their police cars.”
Betts last month provided Global News with a tour of the station, highlighting multiple issues and concerns, including limited space for staff and storage in the 35,000-square-foot building which first opened in 1968. Betts noted 911 services went down for about 35 minutes on May 31 due to a tripped aging electrical panel.
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An architect’s report in 2019 first estimated the cost of a new police station would be $46.9 million. That price tag has since increased to $68 million in 2021. The city continues to search for a suitable location for a new police station — preferably to remain in the downtown core.
“We need a new station, we need some serious reparations,” said Betts as he showed an officer who was walking through the lot with plastic bags covering his feet and legs.
“He’s a little innovative,” Betts noted.
Betts said he was thankful to city staff who quickly arrived at the parking lot to address the excess water at the Water Street location as the flows crept towards entry doors to the station.
“Plastic bag over the feet also works! We are fortunate to have support of our city council as we seek a way forward to modernize the facility and shore up things. Btw… We are located on Water Street coincidence?,” he wrote on Instagram.
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