Stone Harbor Police Get New Building

STONE HARBOR – A project a decade in the making had its ribbon-cutting May 17. Selecting a day that was part of National Police Week, Stone Harbor dedicated its new police department building.
Mayor Judith Davies-Dunhour noted that while “this project has been 10 years in the making – from inception to today. I will tell you this – it took a long time but we got it right.”
The structure consists of a new building with a pass-through to the reconstructed first floor of the old department building.
The design allowed the borough to use a more prudent financing approach while providing the department with everything it needs to meet the requirements of a modern police building.
From interview rooms, holding cells, a sally port, locker rooms, a gym and training room, evidence-handling facility, booking area and areas for both patrol and detectives, the facility is welcoming to the public and secure in all possible ways.
The facility the department operated in previously was dedicated in 1972, close to 50 years ago.
The borough’s police department consists of 17 full-time officers augmented by special officers, Class I and Class II, who ramp up the department’s staffing during the summer.
Stone Harbor turned the ceremony into one that honored its retired officers as well, with over a dozen officers in attendance as well as the families of others who have died.
The most senior of the retired officers was Chief James Sweitzer who retired over 25 years ago in 1994 and, according to Davies-Dunhour’s remarks, drove three hours to be at the ceremony.
Anthony Solis, the captain who moved up to acting chief in 1994, was also present.
Sweitzer and Solis were not alone as retired officers showed a commitment to a department they left over 20 years before.
Sgts. Vic Gorski and Gary Bevan, who retired in 1996 and 1997, were also in attendance.
These and other retired officers sat in chairs arrayed in the street looking not just at the new structure but also at the 12 young officers, who stood lined along the building’s front. Police Chief Thomas Schutta was able to speak across generations when he addressed both past and present officers.
The borough selected a date for the ceremony with care, wanting it to be part of Police Week.
Davies-Dunhour, a veteran of the department with 25 years of service, used the national focus of Police Week to remind all that “being a police officer in today’s world is no easy task,” she said.
Speaking directly to the officers of the department she said, “Each of the retired officers here will agree that you face challenges that we did not. Stay safe.” With that, she called on Schutta, “Let’s cut this ribbon.”
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.