GPD now in its new home

GAINESVILLE - The Gainesville Police Department moved into its new home Monday morning on Queen City Parkway and is now fully operational in the new headquarters according to Chief Brian Kelly.

Chief Kelly says the police and court section of the new Public Safety Complex is called the Gainesville Justice Center and the department met is November 1st deadline for moving in.

"We opened for police operations this morning at 8:00 a.m.," Chief Kelly said. " If anyone needs police services or needs to pick up any kind of records, reports or copies we'd ask that they come here at the new Justice Center at 701 Queen City Parkway."

Chief Kelly said he expects Municipal Court will move its offices and personnel in about a month. City Manager Kip Padgett said the Fire Department is expected to move from its old location downtown on Jesse Jewell Parkway in a couple of weeks into its new station at the Complex.

Kelly said moving from the old Public Safety building was a project in itself, taking about two weeks, and his personnel are still unpacking a few boxes. The Chief said his department has five times the space it had at the old location, with much more elbow room.
All GPD patrol cars are now parked and will respond to assignments from the new building and the Chief said the Complex is a much better location for quick response. Another benefit is public parking.

"I think better parking is definitely going to help out the community," Chief Kelly said. "When they come to get police reports, when they come to municipal court, and when they come to council meetings there will be a lot more ease of mobility and access to the building itself."

Once the Fire Department moves into its new station the old Public Safety Building, built in 1975, will be demolished to make room for the new pedestrian bridge spanning Jesse Jewell Parkway and a planned new hotel as part of the City View development project. City Council is set to hold its last work session of the year and its first meeting of the new year the new court chambers.