Officials from the City of Avondale and Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) will join in the dedication of the Northwest Public Safety Facility on November 19. The public is warmly invited to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10:00 a.m., tour the building, meet and greet public safety personnel who will be housed at the new facility, and take part in a free Vin-Etch event which will run from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The 19,000 square-foot building, located at 3200 N. Dysart Road on the north portion of the Estrella Mountain Community College campus, will serve as an Avondale Police Substation, house two classrooms for EMCC instruction, and will be the new location of the college’s public safety office. Designed by Dick & Fritsche Design Group and constructed by FCI Construction Inc., it will also eventually be the home of Avondale’s fourth firehouse, Fire Station 174.
“This is an example of a win-win partnership for the city, which built the $3.8 million facility, and EMCC, which provided the site on their campus,” said Charlie McClendon, Avondale City Manager. “This satellite police substation will serve Avondale’s northwest quadrant, provide an on-campus presence and eventually, accommodate new Fire Station 174.”
“It is the mission of Estrella Mountain Community College to respond to the needs of the community and support learning opportunities for our students. This partnership allows us to fulfill both parts of that mission and is truly a model of community partnerships at their best,” said Dr. Ernest Lara, president of Estrella Mountain Community College. “The new facility is going to provide our EMT, fire science and administration of justice students with real-world experience, and will also provide a unique opportunity for our campus public safety office to continue to build relationships with our agency partners.”
The Avondale Police Department will conduct a free VIN-Etch event from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. that day. The public is invited to participate by getting their vehicle windows etched, as a means to deter auto theft. There is no charge for this service. Drivers just need to show proof of ownership, driver’s license, current registration and complete a consent form provided by the police department. Contact the Avondale Police Department Crime Prevention at 623-333-7217 for more information.