New station

Police move out of EMS Building

— The Pea Ridge Police Department is in a new office just west of the previous location.

For 15 years, it has been housed in the Emergency Services Building on South Curtis Avenue, which housed the police, fire and ambulance departments and was constructed in late 1993, early 1994.

Originally, the police department had 700 square feet, but in 1998, it was remodeled and the space was enlarged.

“We have more space and can deal with the public in a more private situation than we could in a single open environment,” Police Chief Tim Ledbetter said.

The new office has a lobby, an interview room, offices for patrolmen and officers and space for expansion.

Ledbetter, who has been with the city since 1995, said the staff has increased from two to 10 fulltime police officers in the past 14 years.

“The recent acquisition of this building has given us about 3,000square feet,” he said, adding that much of the work in refurbishing the space for the police department has been done by city employees. The purchase of the building was made possible by money from impact fees, he said.

Benton County Central Communications dispatches Pea Ridge police, as well as the Sheriff’s Office and other police departments in the county. It can be reached by a local telephone number, 451-8220.

Pea Ridge police patrol the city 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The new office, located at 181 Slack Street, is west, northwest of the Emergency Services Building. The driveway is across the street from Community First Bank and just west of EZ Mart.

News, Pages 1 on 10/21/2009