RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — City officials joined the Richmond Police Department in breaking ground for the new First Precinct location on Wednesday.
According to the department, the ceremony was held on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at the First Precinct’s future location, 1701 Fairfield Way. The precinct will soon relocate from its East End location to instead neighbor the Richmond Justice Center.
According to the City, the current First Precinct needs replacing for a number of reasons, including both space and safety concerns.
“There is a critical need for the replacement of Police Precinct #1,” said the City in its description of the project. “It serves a distressed community with numerous historical environmental justice concerns that demand an immediate public safety response. The present facility does not meet modern security standards and cannot house the present staff assigned to the precinct.”
The project is expected to cost $10 million, according to the City. It is expected to be completed by December, at which time the old First Precinct will be demolished and the land repurposed.
The ceremony was attended by City officials such as Mayor Levar Stoney and Richmond Chief of Police Rick Edwards, among others. Many of them took up a shovel and joined in on the literal breaking of the ground.
