By George P. Hassett

City officials are beginning plans to lease or purchase sites for two police substations – one in East Somerville and one in West Somerville. Last week Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone announced the issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the lease or purchase of a Teele Square site for a West Somerville Neighborhood Police Station. He submitted the RFP to the Board of Aldermen for its approval. The RFP provides flexibility for the actual location but specifies a preference for a site on Broadway to the west of Teele Square, according to city officials.

Curtatone said the substations are part of the bigger plan to reorganize the department and increase community policing.

‚ÄúThe opening of a substation in West Somerville will result in stronger relationships between our officers and the residents they serve, which will lead directly to increased community participation and better results.  Along with the recruitment of additional officers, the appointment of a new chief, upgrades to equipment and training, and a number of other changes, the creation of neighborhood police stations is another tangible indication of the improvements we‚Äôre making in our police operations and facilities,‚Äù he said.

The opening of a police substation in West Somerville was a recommendation made in 2005 by the Somerville Police Advisory Group, which was convened by Mayor Curtatone in 2004 to assess all aspects of police policies, staffing and operations in Somerville.

Chaired by former Attorney General Scott Harshbarger, the panel offered a wide range of recommendations intended to improve police relations with the community and modernize the department. 

In addition to the substation plan, the advisory group called for expansion of the department, change in outmoded labor practices, and the removal of the position of chief from civil service.  This latter recommendation was approved by the Board of Aldermen in 2006 and the city‚Äôs first professional recruitment process for chief resulted in the installation of Anthony Holloway as chief. 

Curtatone also announced that the city will soon begin seeking space on lower Broadway for an East Somerville Neighborhood Police Station.

The West Somerville substation will house officers assigned to operate in that area on a regular basis.  Having officers assigned to a regular beat is a basic tenet of effective community policing, said Holloway.

‚ÄúWhen an officer patrols the same area every day, he or she gets to know the people in that neighborhood. It allows the police and the community to work together to identify problems and solutions.  The resulting relationships will serve to strengthen the community and improve the day-to-day lives of our residents.‚Äù

Ward 7 Alderman Robert C. Trane said community policing and a new substation in West Somerville will improve the quality of life in the city.

Following Board of Aldermen approval, the RFP will be publicly advertised, and responses will be due in February.  All submissions will be evaluated by a technical advisory committee, with Mayor Curtatone scheduled to make a recommendation to the Board of Aldermen in the spring.