The Melrose Heights Neighborhood Association met on Monday September 14. Steve Gant, the interim city manager, spoke on the recent move of the South Region Police Headquarters. The headquarters, recently located at the corner of Millwood Avenue and Gervais Street, is now located at the corner of Devine Street and Hilton Street in Five Points. The City also bought the piece of property next door adding 120 parking spaces. Also, the current location has conference rooms and a meeting room that will be open for the public to use.

The building is owned by the city of Columbia. The money that the department will pay to be housed in the facility will go back to the city. According to Gant it will save the department between $25,000 and $30,000. Along with that, the Police Department will not have to pay property tax on their new headquarters.

"It is a better work environment. There are no negative impacts," Gant says, "There were too many positives not to make a quick move on the property." Gant says the move was three years in the making.

"It is a true win, win, win situation for everyone," Mike King, director of Public Safety, said.

King also said 20 cadets currently being trained, which should be ready by February bringing the number of police officers to 359.