McMinnville Police Department Moving Downtown

The McMinnville Police Department is moving to City Hall’s third floor later this year.

Police Chief Bryan Denton said this is a win-win for the department and the city.

“We’ll be consolidating city services into kinda a one stop shop,” Denton said. “It’ll bring additional commerce downtown, and I think in a town our size, most folks like a police presence in the downtown area, and we’ve not had that for a while. We’re kinda excited about it.”

Denton said there has been hesitation in the past for the 38 manned department to move downtown because of extra vehicles and fleet system. Patrol vehicles will be parked at a satellite location to reduce traffic.

“One thing that we’re going to be able to do is better utilize space in the new building because in the city council room we can let that double as the city court room,” Denton said. “We have traffic school and that kinda thing, we can better use the actual council room for more functions rather than just twice a month when the board meets.”

The department has remained at the rented Red Road location for 11 years. Denton said the space difference between the old and new locations are similar, but the new location will provide more efficiency.

“There have been challenges there, just like there is with any place, but when we moved into it we did make upgrades to it but overall it has been adequate,” Denton said. “It’s just now ours, it’s not laid out exactly like we would hope for it to be efficient.”

Denton said he hopes to have all technology equipment, records, body camera data, and other equipment and necessities by the end of October.

The board of aldermen approved the police department’s move Tuesday.