The public will have its only chance to tour the new Morgan Hill
Police Department at 16200 Vineyard Ave., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday.
The public will have its only chance to tour the new Morgan Hill Police Department at 16200 Vineyard Ave., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
Beginning with a 10 a.m. ceremony dedicating the new facility to the late Chief of Police John R. Moreno, officials will take the public on guided tours to include the holding cells, records keeping, dispatch center, evidence rooms and other parts of the station that will, after Saturday, be closed to public view.
“It’s state of the art,” said Lt. Terrie Booten who shepherded the building’s completion and the move from the old station at Monterey Road and West Main Avenue. She also proudly said the conversion of a new but unfinished 43,000 square-foot space into a building meeting the latest Homeland Security regulations was “on time and on budget.”
Vintage police vehicles, the SWAT van and other police vehicles will also be on display.
The opening ceremony will take place outside the building with presentations by Mayor Dennis Kennedy, council members, Mrs. Elena Moreno and Interim Police Chief Bruce Cumming. MHPD Explorer Post 811 will present the colors.
The Vineyard building allows Morgan Hill Police to move from its previously cramped offices into enough space to properly care for evidence, armament and even allow officers coming off long night shifts a spot to grab a few winks before morning court appearances.
In all, the city paid $9.45 million to buy, renovate and furnish the building, considerably less than the $28 million a proposed new police station is expected to cost the City of Gilroy.
Reach the new MHPD facility by driving north on Vineyard from Tennant Avenue (Animal Care Center and SpeeDee TuneUp). The building is fourth on the right (east) from Tennant.
From East Dunne Avenue, drive south on Church Street from the East Dunne/Church stop light across from the community center. Turn left – east – on Mast (past Monterey Auto and just before the curve). From Mast Avenue, turn right, or south, on Vineyard. The station is on the left.
From Butterfield Boulevard, drive west on San Pedro, south (left) on Church, left on Mast and right on Vineyard.
Or follow the blue “Police Dept.” signs attached to light poles. The facility is just west of the railroad tracks which can only be crossed at Dunne, San Pedro and Tennant avenues.
