Marion City Council Passes $10M Police Station

When the current Marion Police station was just built in 1984, City Council member Joe Spinks said it struck him as tiny.

"I thought that sure it was a small building," he said. "I think in five years they outgrew that."

Thursday, the Marion City Council approved a brand new police station that's three times the size of the current building. It will cost .

It's set to handle the massive amounts of evidence obtained by police, house 15-20 more officers and contains a shooting range. One of Spinks' favorite features, is that it's built to be easily expanded on when it eventually becomes too small.

Marion Police Chief Harry Daugherty previously told Marion Patch that the current station simply doesn't meet the department's needs.

"I have eight detectives all in a little cubicle. I have six sergeants in an office that is two desks," said Marion Police Chief Harry Daugherty. "I had to turn one of the garages into a evidence room."

How will the city pay for it?

The city currently owns the land that the future station will sit on, but will lease that land to a trustee. The construction company will then use their funds for construction. That means that Marion will only pay for the building after the city approves the completed, fully constructed building.

The city will be performing a bond issue to raise enough money for the station next year.

Construction should start later this month or early November, according to Lon Pluckhahn, Marion City Manager. The station should be completed by the end of 2013.

Spinks said the measure passed unanimously — though council member Craig Adamson did not attend — and no opposition to the plan was voiced Thursday or during Tuesday's public hearing.