Fresno Police Department celebrates opening of new northwest substation

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Police are moving into the Winepress Shopping Center at Shaw and Marks Avenue.

"When people feel safe our neighborhoods thrive. Our schools improve and our business invest and the entire city benefits," said Fresno Mayor Lee Brand.

For the past several years many businesses have closed their doors or moved away from west Shaw Avenue.

Some business owners say they noticed crime move in right away but Police Chief Jerry Dyer says the new substation will reverse that trend.

"When you add police officers and you add the support staff and we deploy them accordingly and we use the right strategies and we place our district stations in the right neighborhoods. We're going to have an impact and make a difference," said Dyer.

Fresno Police say 80 officers still be stationed at the new substation that is over 10,000 square feet.

People in the community will notice the state of the art technology when they use the community conference room.

Fresno City Councilmember Steve Brandau hopes this will bridge a gap between business owners and the police.

"I'm excited about the impact along Shaw Avenue, our businesses and the people that live on both sides of Shaw Avenue will be heavily impacted just by the presence of our police force in this neck of the woods," said Brandau.

Chief Dyer hopes to keep this substation open for a long time or a least until this rookie is old enough to work for Fresno Police.