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Ground broken for new Ashland police building
Ashland city officials at the groundbreaking of the new Ashland Police station at 201 17th St. in Ashland. The new station will be the first standalone physical presence in the 150 year history of the police department. The department previously occupied space in City Hall.
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ASHLAND -- For the first time in the city's history, the Ashland Police Department will have a home of its own.
Ground was broken Thursday evening for a $3.89 million, two-story, free-standing building at 201 17th St., across the street from the Ashland city building.
"It's time it happened," Mayor Tom Kelley said. The city first started with a town marshal more than 150 years ago, he said. "It shows we're interested in the downtown."
"Right now, the police department is all over the place," Kelley said.
Currently the Ashland police department is located on the first, second and fifth floors of the city building and in the basement of that building. "We have half the basement, half the first floor, half the second floor and three-fourths of the fifth floor," he said.
The city is borrowing the money from the Kentucky Municipal League at an interest rate of 3.67 percent, said Kelley, who served as the city's 12th police chief before being elected mayor last year.
"The work areas will be a lot closer in the new building," Police Chief Rob Ratliff said. "I think it will bring everyone closer together. I'm looking forward to it."
The building, which will be more than 17,000 square feet, will front on 17th Street. The property formerly was used as a parking lot.
The department has 48 sworn officers and seven support personnel.
Work on the project could start next week and be finished before the end of the year, Ratliff said.
