Construction Starts on New Hampden Police Station

HAMPDEN, Mass. — Construction on the new Hampden police station is underway after the foundation was poured in mid-November, and is scheduled for completion this spring.

Foxborough, Mass.-based Kaestle Boos Associates Inc. is serving as the architect on the project, while South Hadley, Mass.-based Marois Construction is serving as the builder.

Voters approved a debt exclusion override to pay for the $2.975 million project, which is being built adjacent to the Allen Street senior center in Hampden. The original plan was to build a modular construction building, but the bids kept coming in over budget after being put out to bid multiple times. Finally, the town decided to bid for a “stick-built” station, and a bid was received within budget, according to MassLive.

The project will include a 6,000-square-foot facility with a multipurpose room, interview rooms, a training room, evidence and storage areas and a more sufficient booking area and offices.

The current facility, located in the Hampden Town House, is only 900 square feet. It has no private space to interview victims, no separate dispatch area and no separate male and female lockers, showers or restrooms. In fact, the computer system for the existing police station is currently in the police chief’s restroom, reported Mass Live, and polygraph tests must be done in the Planning Board office in the Town Hall because the station never has enough space.

It also only has one prison cell and does not have a secure entrance for inmates. In fact, police officers must guide inmates down concrete steps. If there were ever an altercation between an officer and an inmate, the inmate could easily escape through the Town Hall or the library, reported MassLive.