Police moving to temporary home at City Hall
The current home for the Prairie du Chien Police Department is within the county's courthouse property. The Police department will be moving to the City Hall later this summer.
Move expected to happen in August
By Steve Van Kooten
The Prairie du Chien Police Department is moving into City Hall, according to city officials.
The department has to leave their current home due to the replacement jail project that will include a remodel of the space currently occupied by the sheriff’s office, police department and jail facilities.
The existing building will be converted into a justice center after the new jail building is completed.
According to Police Chief Kyle Teynor, the department has to vacate their space at the county building by Nov. 1 of this year. He anticipates the transition to City Hall will be completed by Sept. 1.
City Administrator Chad Abram estimated the department will begin the transition to City Hall sometime in August.
Teynor confirmed that the city evaluated “several other places” to house the department before choosing the community conference room at City Hall.
Other locations included the basement at the public library, the basement of Hoffman Hall and privately owned properties.
“City Hall was the best of four to six less than ideal options,” he said.
Moving locations will pose new challenges for the police officers, but the public shouldn’t notice many changes, as far as police procedure goes.
“Through advancements in mobile reporting software and records management, most of the work needed to be completed each day by police officers can be done remotely from squad cars,” said Teynor. “Suspects arrested will still be taken directly to the Crawford County Jail. Those that need to have in-custody interviews completed will need to be questioned in the field or at the jail after arrest.”
He added that other interviews will be conducted at the City Hall.
“There will definitely be some growing pains as it relates to interviews with victims and suspects that are not appropriate for a jail setting,” he said.
The police chief continued, “It will not meet the needs of a victim-focused investigation. It will not be the inviting facility we are hoping to have with our new, permanent space. It will not provide the storage and space needs we currently have… This is a temporary space to meet long-term goals.”
Storing evidence is another hurdle. Currently, the city is planning to transfer their storage to a secure area in City Hall.
Teynor pointed out one benefit of housing the department at the City Hall building: the location is secure, with comprehensive video coverage and an alarm system.
While it’s not the perfect arrangement, the police chief said that his department will adapt and continue to maintain public safety for the city of Prairie du Chien.
“We are used to making the best out of every situation that we come across. In the short term, the space will work,” he said.
On July 1, City Administrator Chad Abram updated the common council on the Public Safety Building’s progress, saying that the city is still waiting for updated plans from Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc.
The city is also working on a plan to balance the parking needs for the police and public during the department’s stay.
The Public Works Committee has reviewed alterations to downtown parking near City Hall, and the council is expected to review city ordinances in the near future. Teynor said that he has submitted a proposal for the committee to consider.
“Parking will be limited in the city lot,” said Abram. “Please find alternate parking and be patient with our police department staff while they’re living here at City Hall until the new facility is built.”
For those in need of the department’s services, contact can still be made by calling 911 or the non-emergency line at 608-326-2421.
