Police Department Moves Into New Building, Closes Former HQ
By: Andrew Logsdon
Updated: March 24, 2012
The doors are locked at the Fort Wayne Police Department's former headquarters.
The department has finished its move into the City-County Building, downtown.
It now shares operations with the Allen County Sheriff's Department.
The Fort Wayne P.D. has used the Creighton Street building as its headquarters for the past seventeen years.
And now all police operations are located in the same spot-- which Police Chief Rusty York says makes it easier for the community.
"I'm going to lock this door for the last time, and you know, you think about it, it hasn't been locked for the past seventeen years. This building's been open for twenty-four hours a day," York says.
With a click, the Fort Wayne Police Department moved into its new location inside the City-County Building downtown.
A building it now shares with the Allen County Sheriff's Department.
When York started as a patrol officer in 1975, they were in the older City-County Building.
Now he says the building has been re-configured with upgraded technology, and it was time to move back.
"It really makes our job safer and the layout is a lot more efficient than we experienced here," York says.
As of this afternoon, all police functions are at the new location.
"The community benefits when they need something like an accident report, or they want to file for a personal protection permit, they don't have to figure out, well do I go out to Lima Road, or do I come over to Creighton Street, or do I go to the City-County Building? It's all in the City-County Building now," York says.
He says the new interaction between city and county makes things easier and safer for the community.
"Everything is over there, and I got the key," York says.
A key he's waited to use for seventeen years.
With the move, the building has also been renamed the Ed Rousseau Building.
The Allen County Commissioners voted today to officially rename the building after the long-running city councilmember and county commissioner who died in 2009.
The department has finished its move into the City-County Building, downtown.
It now shares operations with the Allen County Sheriff's Department.
The Fort Wayne P.D. has used the Creighton Street building as its headquarters for the past seventeen years.
And now all police operations are located in the same spot-- which Police Chief Rusty York says makes it easier for the community.
"I'm going to lock this door for the last time, and you know, you think about it, it hasn't been locked for the past seventeen years. This building's been open for twenty-four hours a day," York says.
With a click, the Fort Wayne Police Department moved into its new location inside the City-County Building downtown.
A building it now shares with the Allen County Sheriff's Department.
When York started as a patrol officer in 1975, they were in the older City-County Building.
Now he says the building has been re-configured with upgraded technology, and it was time to move back.
"It really makes our job safer and the layout is a lot more efficient than we experienced here," York says.
As of this afternoon, all police functions are at the new location.
"The community benefits when they need something like an accident report, or they want to file for a personal protection permit, they don't have to figure out, well do I go out to Lima Road, or do I come over to Creighton Street, or do I go to the City-County Building? It's all in the City-County Building now," York says.
He says the new interaction between city and county makes things easier and safer for the community.
"Everything is over there, and I got the key," York says.
A key he's waited to use for seventeen years.
With the move, the building has also been renamed the Ed Rousseau Building.
The Allen County Commissioners voted today to officially rename the building after the long-running city councilmember and county commissioner who died in 2009.
