Melrose Police Station Renovations to Begin Monday

The Melrose Police Department E911 Dispatch Center and customer service desk will begin being renovated Jan. 28, according to a city press statement.

While the renovations are taking place, the police station will not be accessible to the public, according to the statement.

"To ensure continued service, there will be a police sub-station on the lower level of City Hall that will be open to the public to accommodate requests for reports, applications, and other administrative police services," reads the statement. "This substation will be staffed by a police officer at all times and can be accessed by the lower-level doors on either side of City Hall."

The 911 and dispatch center will be temporarily relocated to a state of the art mobile E911 command post, which has been provided by the Massachusetts E911 department, reads the statement.

Residents will need to go to City Hall for all police-related matters; however, an exterior telephone will be located just outside the police station in case of emergencies, according to the statement.

The city will be making $450,000 in improvements to the police station, including improving the work areas for dispatch, customer service and the detectives, according to Mayor Rob Dolan. The majority of the changes will take place on the second floor, as there will be new flooring, fresh paint and new furniture.

Other upgrades planned for the communications center include:

• New radio system that complies with the FCC mandate
• New mobile radios in police cars to improve sound quality
• Improved signal and more repeaters means fewer radio dead spots
• Radio lines converted from phone lines to fiber—saves money on repairs
• Residents will see no change but system will be more reliable and up to date

For more information, contact Lt. Mark DeCroteau at 781-979-4465 or email mdecroteau@cityofmelrose.org.