Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon and Police and Emergency Services Minister Tim Holding help open the new police station.
By Shaun Inguanzo
SPRINGVALE’S new state-of-the-art police station was officially opened last week to tackle a new era of policing in the city.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon and Police and Emergency Services Minister Tim Holding officially opened the $9.7 million station on Saturday with some of the police force’s highest-ranking officers in attendance.
Ms Nixon and Mr Holding unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the station’s opening, and police chaplain the Reverend Jim Pilmer later blessed the new complex.
Hotham MP Simon Crean presented the station with an Australian flag, and Clayton MP Hong Lim presented it with a Victorian flag.
Ms Nixon said the new station would help police tackle crime and any challenges the growing area put forward.
“The nature of policing a diverse population with such wide-ranging cultural and religious beliefs has at times proved both challenging and rewarding,” Ms Nixon said.
The new station will also play a vital role in helping new police members build their experience in metropolitan stations, she said.
“Springvale continues to attract interest from police members who are seeking experience working in a busy metropolitan environment and want to be exposed to the unique experience of policing such a culturally rich and diverse local population,” she said.
“With state-of-the-art design, this purpose-built facility with the latest technological equipment will ensure that the already-high level of service delivery provided to the Springvale community will continue well into the future.”
The original Springvale Police Station was built in 1924 before police moved to a larger station at Royal Avenue in 1958.
The 71 police at the new station in Springvale Road will cover a city of more than 86,000 people.
