Harford County Sheriff's Office dedicates new Southern Precinct station in Joppa

The Harford County Sheriff's Office new Southern Precinct station was officially dedicated in front of a large crowd Friday morning.

"We stand in front of a building today that started six years ago," Maj. Dale Stonesifer said.

The rain held off and with gray skies overhead, deputies hoisted the flags for the first time in front of the building on the site of a former truck stop near the intersection of Routes 40 and 152 in Joppa.

As a special honor, Dfc. John Miner stepped up at the end of the ceremony to cut the red, white and blue ribbon with an oversized pair of scissors.

As a deputy, Miner spent his entire 31 years patrolling in Edgewood and Joppa, where the new building is, Stonesifer said.

"We're proud as an agency to bestow this honor on J.J.," he said. "I'm glad he can be here today."

Although it cost $7.7 million to build, Stonesifer said during the ceremony that the 42,000-square-foot building will save the sheriff's office money, especially with the roughly 10,000-square-foot attached garage. Previously, the sheriff's office had to rent space to store its equipment, but it can now store it where it can be accessed quickly.

Harford Sheriff Jesse Bane also briefly spoke at the ceremony, calling the precinct a building "long overdue" and a "dream" many of them thought would never be a reality. The building helps bring the office into the 21st century, he added, and also includes a conference room the community can use.

"Finally, we have a facility that meets our demands," he added.

Following Bane was Harford County Executive David Craig, who compared his relationship with Bane to that of a very strong brotherhood, referencing how they worked together to make sure the precinct was completed.

Craig also pointed out that the new precinct building is the first time the county has built something specifically for the sheriff's office and had not just repurposed an existing building.

"But you deserve it," he added, to the assembled deputies.

Eventually the other side of the building will house the Harford County Health Department and other services for residents, Craig said.

County Councilman Dion Guthrie, who represents the Edgewood and Joppa areas, also said the Southern Precinct has been on his "bucket list" since he joined the council nearly 10 years ago.

The new building replaces the station on Gateway Drive in Edgewood, a former convenience store that went into service in the mid-1990s. In 2005-06, then-sheriff Tom Golding began lobbying county government officials for a larger facility, saying at the time it was the agency's number one need. In April 2007, Golding's successor, Bane, and Craig announced the county had acquired the site and would move forward with the project, but construction funding was delayed for three years because of the economy.

In addition to a garage and equipment storage space, the new station has many other features, including four holding cells, a library and a waiting room with a couch and television for use in instances involving a runaway child.

There are good days and bad days in public safety, Bane said during his speech, but Friday's opening of the Southern Precinct was one of those "good days."

The ceremony ended with guided tours through the building, which were also offered to the general public on Saturday and Sunday.