As ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ inches closer to the opening of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Downtown, Friday marked a special day for the new campus and the Orlando community with the opening of the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Police Department’s substation.

β€œPartnering with the City of Orlando and Valencia has made all the difference in the world. Four years of planning have gone into creating this space, and public safety is top of mind for all of us,” says ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Police Chief Carl Metzger ’03MS, who started his law enforcement career in the Parramore community with the Orlando Police Department. β€œPeople can’t live, work, study, learn, do research and teach unless they’re safe and they feel safe. That’s what we’re passionate about at the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Police Department and that’s what this substation is all about.”

The station, located at 398 West Amelia Street, mirrors ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½PD’s hub on the main campus. In addition to work spaces for the officers and meetings rooms, the station also features a soft interview room, offering a comforting space for victims of violent crime to speak with police.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ opened its first soft interview room at its main campus station two years ago with the help of Veronica and Tony Figueroa, a real estate team with a personal connection to ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½PD, and turned to the couple again to help create the downtown space.

A plaque hanging outside of the room with a message from the Figueroas reads, β€œIt is our honor to support survivors through the healing process, and it is our sincere hope that this space will provide a small sense of light and comfort during the darkest times.”

Soft interview room with a gray couch and pillows, coffee table and two green chairs
The soft interview room offers a comforting space for victims of violent crime to speak with police. (Photo by Nick Leyva ’15)

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½PD officers have been patrolling the downtown district since June 28, but Friday’s opening of the substation now provides them with a home base in the area. Twelve ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½PD officers will be housed at the station and will serve as primary responders for calls at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½-owned and managed properties, with additional support from the Orlando Police Department and an outside security company.

β€œMany of our officers and civilian employees are proud graduates of the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½, so our bond with this university grows stronger by the day,” says OPD Deputy Chief Jose Velez. β€œOn behalf of Chief Orlando RolΓ³n and the entire Orlando Police Department, we’re honored to get to work alongside the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½PD and support the efforts to make this the safest college campus in the United States.”

City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer shakes hands with police officer in downtown station
City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer was one of the community members who toured the station. (Photo by Nick Leyva ’15)

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Downtown will welcome more than 7,000 students to its 15 acre campus for its first day of classes Aug. 26.