The Chapala police department will relocate to permanent headquarters early next year after occupying a rundown rental property in a central residential neighborhood for almost two decades.
Groundbreaking for construction of the new facility was held Monday, November 6 on a lot owned by the municipal government situated on Calle Isla del Presidio, across the street from the Soriana parking lot and next door to the local slaughter house.
The blueprint shows a one-story building measuring 560 square meters that will house offices for police department officials, administrative staff and the municipal judge, a technology center, weapons armory, meeting room, complete living quarters for officers, two holding cells for male prisoners and one for females, each with four beds. A parking lot with a capacity for seven patrol vehicles sits next to the main entrance.
The construction timeline announced by Public Works Director Rodrigo Paredes is 90 working days, from start to finish. The property has an additional space of 438 square meters for future expansion.
The project will cost slightly more than 2.8 million pesos, paid for through the federal government subsidy program known as Fortaseg, which seeks strengthen public security forces at the state and municipal level.
Chapala qualified for ten million pesos in Fortaseg funding for 2017, which will not only be used to improve the police department’s infrastructure and equipment but also officer training, salaries and benefits.