In 2023, the Port Washington Police Department (PWPD) announced it had purchased the former Knowles Funeral Home to build its new headquarters. Demolition began on the property in November, and was expected to take six weeks. The demolition is the next step in the Port Washington district’s plan to replace its current headquarters at 500 Port Washington Boulevard, which no longer meets its staffing needs.
The current headquarters was built in 1958, with the space for 35 total staff members, but the facility now houses almost 80 employees. Multiple renovations have failed to address overcrowding, limited office space, outdated technology, and insufficient parking.
The department expressed that the current headquarters is outdated, with substandard conditions for officers, victims, and detainees. It is out of compliance with police facility regulations and with the Americans with Disabilities Acts (ADA) regulations. There is limited parking, leading to off-site parking which creates an unnecessary backlog.
“You can’t have four detectives on top of each other, two feet away, you can’t talk on the phone, in the dispatch area, or bathrooms that don’t work. It’s outlived its use. It’s way too small,” said Police Chief Robert Del Muro in an interview with Newsday.
Following demolition and site cleanup, the facility’s construction will begin, and is expected to feature modern offices, locker rooms, and updated technology to better help the community.
The headquarters’ construction will be funded by a bond of $32 million, and will be a 25,000 square foot facility. According to the PWPD, the bond will cost homeowners, but the cost per household will vary depending on their home’s value.
The PWPD has stated that the new headquarters will address the current needs of the district, and will be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified. The space has been designed to incorporate the current staffing amount with room for growth, and with necessary and proper accommodations. The new headquarters corrects all current code violations, being ADA compliant with improved detainee care and processing.
The location of the property at the heart of Main Street allows for a greater presence throughout the area and near the train station. The facility has also been designed to increase accessibility, with space for community groups, training seminars, and safety courses, according to the district.
“The PWPD website says they protect the villages of Baxter Estates and Port Washington North, which have about 4,175 residents. The sixth precinct of the Nassau County Police Department covers the rest. And they want to build a $30 million police station for that small number of residents,” said a resident in a meeting recorded by the Long Island Press.
Chief Del Muro responded with facts about its inaccuracy, stating that the department protects an area of 20,000 people, not counting those that come into town to work, visit, and shop.
The PWPD hosted three similar forums for residents to voice their questions and concerns, making sure the community’s needs were addressed. Several concerns involved the appraisal for the Knowles Funeral Home property and the details of the environmental assessment, to which the district responded by posting the property appraisals and the environmental review to its website.
“It seems like there are a lot of benefits to the new department, but I hope that the new location doesn’t create even more traffic than there already is on Main Street,” said junior Siena McGuffin.
Traffic being a common concern, the PWPD ordered a traffic study. The study revealed there will be no major effect on traffic, since the police officers do not respond out of the department, but instead from the streets.
The project is expected to take anywhere from eighteen months to two years for completion, and is being built for not only the current police district but the future district as well. The new headquarters aims to provide the community with a facility that allows the district to serve residents in an improved manner.