New East Division police substation in Long Beach to open Saturday

Long Beach police are inviting the public to tour the department’s long-awaited East Division Substation Saturday.

The facility is located at the former Schroeder Hall U.S. Army Reserve Center, which was shuttered in 2011. The site was the subject of a lengthy, controversial battle between two proposals: a mental health services facility for the homeless, or a new police substation. The substation plan faced some major hurdles because federal law requires the new homeless services be provided when military properties are reused. After years of negotiations, the substation was approved and the deed handed over to the city in 2014.

Schroeder Hall will house the department’s Juvenile Investigation detectives as well as East Division operations. The open house runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 3800 E. Willow St.

“We’re pleased to be moving into our new station,” said Police Chief Robert Luna in a statement. “Our employees have been looking forward to this day. We’re extremely grateful to have a professional environment that enhances our operations and is centrally located for the community we serve.”

The open house will feature tours of the facility, displays and grilled hot dogs, courtesy of the Long Beach Police Officers Association.

The new substation includes office space, renovated locker areas, showers, restrooms and gym facilities. It also features several sustainable elements including interior and exterior LED lighting; window glazing to improve inteal building temperature; a white roof to reduce the heat island effect; native and drought tolerant plants and water saving fixtures. The renovation also met the city’s construction recycling requirements.

Schroeder Hall was declared surplus in 2005 during a base reorganization effort by the U.S. Army. The U.S. Departments of Justice, and Housing and Urban Development approved a no-cost public benefit transfer of the facility to Long Beach in 2010, saving the city more than $3.5 million. Final transfer, however, did not happen until 2014.

Police will move into the substation in the days following the open house from their current location on Los Coyotes Diagonal near the Traffic Circle.

At 24 square miles, the East Division is the largest of three geographical patrol divisions in Long Beach. It is bounded by Del Amo Boulevard to the north; the Pacific Ocean to the south; the Orange County border to the east; and Cherry Avenue and the City of Signal Hill to the west.

To contact the East Patrol Division, email [email protected] or call 562-570-5880.

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