PALMER TWP., Pa. — The township is on its way to expanding its police headquarters after the board of supervisors tapped a Bethlehem-based architectural firm to explore options Monday night.
Alloy 5 was able to secure a bid for Palmer Township Police Department’s feasibility study for new station proposals, which will help navigate the best path to accommodating a force that has outgrown its headquarters.
Police Chief Wayne Smith noted the existing station has been around since 1987, with an expansion added around 1997 due to growth in the township and department.
Thanks to the expansion of Palmer Township in the interim, a larger facility is necessary for additional staff and storage space, officials said.
“We’re in a modified rancher, with no basement. And obviously, a rancher has no second floor, so at 35 officers and three civilian staff, we are maxed out for space — ‘there is no more room at the inn’ is my favorite saying right now," said Smith.
"So in order to meet the expectations of the township growing and safety concerns, I need more manpower, but I have no room to staff anybody else in our current facility.”
Issues include office spaces cramped with supplies and equipment, and numerous officers sharing the same spaces.
“There's no room for their supplies and all the tools needed for police work. We don't have any storage for it anymore."Wayne Smith, Palmer Twp. chief of police
“There's no room for their supplies and all the tools needed for police work. We don't have any storage for it anymore. We have exhausted all means of storing things, and we have no extra places for things, and it's getting cluttered. They're cramped in there, and it's just time to get a bigger space.”
Smith said the initial feasibility study will take approximately six months to complete before Alloy 5 presents the township and the department with options, either to renovate the existing structure or build a new location.
The chief noted he and the township officials are hoping for a facility which can last the next 20 years, along with the addition of more officers as the township size increases.
A walking tour of the current facility has been scheduled for Alloy 5 employees to evaluate what the force is working with, and what deficiencies they are facing. Smith said he expects to meet with the Alloy 5 team approximately every two weeks, and for the group to meet with the supervisors at the midway point of the study.
Once the study is wrapped up, Alloy 5 will present the township and the force with options based on their needs and resources.
According to CrimeGrade.org, Palmer has a violent crime rate of 3.054 per 1,000 residents during a standard year, and a property crime rate of 9.169 per 1,000 residents during a standard year.
The U.S. Census shows Palmer Township grew from a population of 20,691 in April 2010 to 22,317 in April 2020. Estimates for April 2022 put the township’s population at 22,424.
In addition, between 2008 and 2023, Palmer saw the construction of 17 industrial structures across 16 properties.
Combined, these issues have placed a difficult burden on the police force to effectively patrol and respond to emergencies in the area. If the influx of residents and construction continues, law enforcement officers will need a lot more room, the chief said.
“We have a buildup of warehouses... We're still operating with the same amount of officers we have been for a decade. We need more staffing, and to do that we need a bigger house to live in, right?” Smith said.
