CAMBRIDGE, Md.- A police officer who once patrolled downtown Cambridge retired last year. That led some downtown business owners to believe that there would be less police presence in that area. Cambridge police are now opening a new substation in the heart of downtown to dispel that idea.
The small blue hole-in-the-wall on Race Street is set to bring big changes to downtown Cambridge. It's the second Cambridge police substation opened within a year. This came about partially due to one officer's retirement.
"We used to have a permanent officer assigned here, but he retired. It has left us unable to fill that position for a time," said Lt. Justin Todd of the Cambridge Police Department.
That is now expected to change with this substation.
"Now, thankful to an owner we're able to move in here, and let people see us, come in and say hi, see us on a more personal level," Todd said.
That personal connection is something the police department has found important in recent years.
"The majority of the time, people just see police officers riding around in vehicles or responding to calls," said Sgt. Antoine Patton, also of the Cambridge Police Department. "It's a great opportunity for us to have a substation down here, so the community and the tourists can come down here and talk to the officers in our community."
The goal is to make officers more approachable. An added bonus of the substation is an increase in perceived safety. Patrick Fanning has opened several restaurants in the community, including Rock Lobster last week. He said it is a good idea to make visitors feel safe.
"It integrates the police officers with our community, and it's good to know there is an access station for any kind of complaints or issues, we can just pop in there and throw in our two cents," said Fanning.
The station will be staffed a few hours a day beginning in may, and the hours will ramp up as time goes on. The substation is home to several crime prevention handouts, and will have a computer for students needing help with homework. A substation was also opened on Pine Street in Cambridge last year.
