COPS Southeast moves to US Bank building

The COPS Southeast substation has been serving residents of the South Hill since 1994.

Residents can come in to discuss starting up a Block Watch, a McGruff House, everyday neighborhood issues such as abandoned vehicles, or even chat with the neighborhood resource officer.

But the organization lost its lease when the building was recently sold and now it has to move.

Starting Dec. 19, the phones were rerouted to the Community Oriented Policing Services Southwest substation at 1608 W. Sixth Ave. Many of the volunteers of the Southeast substation will pitch in with the phones at COPS Southwest.

The new COPS Southeast substation will be in the lower level of the U.S. Bank Building, 2809 E. 29th Ave.

“COPS Southeast serves the better part of the South Hill,” said Christy Hamilton, COPS director. “We’re looking forward to out new location very much.”

She added that, at the new location, volunteers, neighborhood resource officers and other COPS members will all be on the same floor. In its previous location, COPS Southeast staff members were separated by a floor.

Substation personnel discovered they needed to find a new location the day before Thanksgiving. Since then, volunteers have been busy painting and putting up walls and the new COPS shop.

Hamilton said US Bank, the owner of the building, gave COPS a good deal on the lease and about 12 volunteers have been helping in the move.

COPS Southeast serves the area south of 14th Avenue in the west part of the South Hill and south of 17th Avenue in the east, but anyone can utilize the services of any COPS substation regardless of where they live.

Hamilton also said the substation is recruiting volunteers. Anyone interested should call COPS Southeast at 625-3326.

The substation will be closed until Jan. 6. A grand opening celebration at the new location is set for Jan. 10.