Wednesday, April 29, 1998 | 10:14 a.m.
HENDERSON -- Being the fastest growing community in the United States means dealing with congested streets, constant construction and increased pollution.
For the Henderson Police Department, it also translates into more crimes, more patrol officers and the need for additional office space.
The police force, which has doubled in size in less than four years, is finally getting a new substation for officers who patrol the sprawling Green Valley area.
"There has been an ongoing voice for several years that we need to build a substation on the west side of the city," Henderson Police Capt. Mike Mayberry said. "The police department, in an effort to meet the needs of citizens, has been looking at a number of areas to find the best location."
The American Nevada Corp. has donated a parcel on the corner of Green Valley Parkway and Benji Drive for a 21,000-square-foot, $3.7 million police substation.
The new building will save about 60 officers from having to battle traffic during the 20-minute commute from the main department in downtown Henderson to their beats in outlying neighborhoods.
"We're going to save officers time, we're going to save gas and we're going to save wear and tear on the vehicles," Mayberry said. "We're also going to be increasing our presence in the area."
And rather than driving to the downtown station, west Henderson residents can file police reports, obtain pet licenses and register guns at the substation. They also will be welcome to use a 750-square-foot multi-purpose room for meetings and other events.
Henderson's population exploded shortly after the city built its 55,000-square-foot department. The city then rented out small offices in neighborhoods to give beat officers a place to write reports and take breaks.
The new facility will accommodate between 120 and 130 officers and should provide adequate space for several years. The department currently has 174 sworn police officers and is constantly hiring more personnel.
"The police department is trying to keep up with the growth of the city," Mayberry said. "We're not hiring more officers because we have a new building, it's because we're growing and we need a place to put them."
The new station, which is about an 8-mile drive from the main department, should be open by next spring.
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