A police substation is being created on Danbury's westside.  The City Council signed off on a rent-free lease at their meeting this week.  The facility will be located at the Summit, the former Matrix Center.  Chief Patrick Ridenhour says this will serve as an operations base for officers who patrol the westside and serve as a place for them to conduct interviews, complete paperwork and take breaks, without having to return to the Main Street headquarters. 

The substation will not be staffed with a desk officer, but would be available on a flexible basis.  No holding cells would be located at the substation.  The 2,200 square feet includes office space, an interview room, bathrooms and a kitchenette break area.  The Summit is also providing a 950-square-foot office and storage space for the Office of Emergency Management. 

Councilman Paul Rotello raised a concern that it seemed like the Summit was providing some IT equipment that the department will need during the course of their operation.  Ridenhour responded that it will be City equipment and they would have no access to any of the police system