By Julianna Parker
Transcript Staff Writer
After former Police Chief Joe Lester came to the University of Oklahoma Police Department in 1991, it didn’t take him long to realize it needed a new building. He pushed for a new station for more than a decade.
Last month, he saw his efforts pay off when he toured the department’s new station.
“It’s really, really well thought-out and it’ll be a good facility for the officers to continue doing a good job,” Lester said.
The department will host an open house 2-6 p.m. Wednesday so the public can see it for itself.
The new building is about 12,000 square feet at a total project cost of about $4 million. It has new technology and features, including a daytime lobby and an after-hours one to be manned by dispatch. It also has more space. Each sergeant has a cubicle in the sergeant’s room instead of all sharing one desk at the other building.
“It’s just great to have a public-friendly, police-oriented building,” current Police Chief Liz Woollen said.
The department had been housed at the old Navy building at 2720 S. Monitor Ave. since the 1970s.
A change of location was desperately needed, Lester said, because the old building was literally falling apart.
“They tore down half of the building already,” he said. When the other half began to disintegrate, half the department moved into a trailer.
The new building is just across the road at 2775 S. Monitor Ave.
“We were in two separate buildings before and we needed to be under one roof,” Woollen said.
Woollen took over the department from Lester in 2003, continuing his effort to get a new station.
“My predecessor has worked a long time to make this a reality,” she said. “Between him and president Boren, they deserve a lot of the credit for getting this completed.”
The department is excited about the new location, she said. They moved in about three weeks ago, and are only waiting on a few cables and blinds to be completely finished.
The new station was designed especially for the needs of the OU police department, so it provides just the right space and amenities for the department, she said.
Even down to rubber gun guards lining the hallways so officers’ guns don’t scratch the walls.
“That’s one of the advantages of having a building designed for what we do,” Woollen said.
Another advantage to the new station is its visibility. It stands proud in the south part of campus with the department name emblazoned across the brick front.
“People know where we are now,” Woollen said.
Lester said he’s “elated” the Regents finally approved the construction of a new police station. And he doesn’t begrudge Woollen the honor of opening the new doors.
“To get anything done that’s worthwhile takes a long time,” Lester said.
Julianna Parker366-3550jparker@normantranscript.com
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