NORTH SMITHFIELD – Built in 1929, the structure at 575 Smithfield Road that houses the North Smithfield Police Department has undeniably seen better days.
The two story brick building was, at one time, Bushee School, serving generations of young North Smithfield students before it was decommissioned, and renovated somewhat to serve as the town annex in the 1980s. Chalkboards, water fountains and classic elementary school bathrooms – with raised doors that allow you to view the little feet below – still remain.
Peeling paint, damaged flooring and water spots can also be found in most rooms – actually a pleasant sight, says Chief Tim Lafferty, when compared to the tangled mess of outdated pipes and wiring that lie within the ceilings and walls.
“It’s an electrical, plumbing and HVAC nightmare,” Lafferty said of NSPD’s current home.
Town offices moved out of the building in 2020, leaving behind wires that hang above asbestos-laden flooring. The original knob and tube electrical fixtures also remain in some areas, and newer pipes can be seen exposed beside the rusty originals that spouted leaks.
“We had water in here,” Lafferty said during a tour of the building this week. “It was raining in the cell area.”
The town offices were moved to 83 Green St. with the help of a bond approved by voters in 2014, and used to renovate the former Kendall Dean School to create a new Town Hall. At the time, officials had ambitious goals for the $12 million in bond funding, with $4.3 million dedicated to school facilities, $2.5 million slated for road repairs and the remaining $5.2 million to be split between projects at Kendall Dean, Memorial Town Hall and lastly, of course, the Smithfield Road police station.
Work at Kendall Dean and at 1 Main St. was completed, but in 2016, town officials halted the plan for police headquarters, saying the funds remaining were not enough to bring the nearly 90-year-old structure up to modern law enforcement standards.
And so, the project took a new direction, with a ballot question that would have authorized the town to take out $18 million to fund construction of a new building for law enforcement, put before voters in 2023. The question failed, with 62 percent of voters rejecting the plan.
Now, from plans for renovation, to hopes for a new building and then back again to renovation, efforts to improve police facilities in North Smithfield have been a focus of contentious debate – and the victim of town politics – for the better part of 15 years.
For Lafferty, the saga has meant emergency repairs and quick patchwork to keep a station up and running, as he improvises amid crumbling resources to maintain professional standards. The building has no sprinkler system and fire suppression was installed in the 1980s. The emergency electrical system only powers one panel of the structure, which still features most of the original windows, with some now boarded up.
“We do have mice and rodents,” Lafferty said.
Heating and cooling is a challenge, with window units providing limited relief in the summer, and the lighting in one area is so dated that the bulbs needed will soon become obsolete.
The building lacks the basics of a modern office, Lafferty noted, and law enforcement has many more specific requirements, such as appropriate space to interview and process suspects, and video-recorded rooms to document proper handling of evidence. There’s the radio system, and the need for ample space to hold those in custody, as male, female and juvenile prisoners cannot be in earshot or sight line of one another.
The chief notes an assessor that has visited every station in the state told him that North Smithfield’s is, by far, the worst.
In a cramped room used to interview suspects, a window AC unit sits on the floor, and makeshift plastic covers a cracked window beside a chair bolted down for safety by the chief himself.
“This is a very vulnerable time, when you’re processing a prisoner,” said Lafferty. “When you take someone’s liberty, you’re in charge of them.”
It was with an occasional sigh of bemusement that the chief discussed the needed repairs, explained to various architects and detractors of the project for years. Previous to moving here, North Smithfield police worked from the basement of the original town hall on Main Street – and the bars on those cells were moved with the department to Smithfield Road. A giant key more suited to an old Western movie was used to unlock one holding area to show the conditions this week.
“I don’t want the building to rot and fall down. It just is,” Lafferty said.
Out back, a rusty staircase leads down to the lot for prisoner intake, where an antique drainage system has caused cracking throughout the pavement. It is here that the chief hopes to install a sallyport, and replace fencing and gates that are constantly breaking.
“You want to be proud of where you work,” he said. “It needs to be clean and safe. You need an up-to-date, professional building.”
That, he said, will be accomplished if voters support a new bond issue with a more limited scope than the one that failed in 2023. A question authorizing the town to take out a bond not to exceed $9 million for building renovations is scheduled to be on a ballot in a special election on Tuesday, Feb 3.
The bond, he said, would also provide up-to-date locker rooms and facilities for both male and female officers.
“”They need bathrooms and showers, which we don’t have for them,” he said of the women working for NSPD.
It would also more than double usable space in the structure, creating room for municipal court, which is currently held at Scouter’s Hall.
“We can’t do any construction here until asbestos is abated,” Lafferty said.
Records and evidence, he noted, would be moved out of the basement where its subject to humidity that could cause mold. New windows and doors, he added, would lead to huge energy savings.
Lafferty said he’s often heard the misconception that funding approved for renovations in 2014 was not used on the station. Much of that, he noted, went toward exterior repairs at Smithfield Road including roofing, repointed bricks and handicap ramp repair. A portion of the limited funding remains, and another chunk went toward various design plans crafted over the past decade that have not yet come to fruition.
Among those questioning the current plan is resident Michael Clifford, who has paid for a slot on WNRI Radio starting at 10:05 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15 to discuss his concerns and take questions from listeners. The broadcast can be heard at 99.9 FM, 1380 AM and streaming online live here.
Town Administrator Scott Gibbs said he’s also heard many inaccuracies regarding the plan.
“There’s a misunderstanding that the town already passed a bond for this project,” Gibbs said.
Unlike the failed bond issue of 2023, Gibbs noted this project has a construction manager, and features a guaranteed maximum price.
“It’s a much more flexible and town-friendly way to do a project,” Gibbs said.
It also has a smaller price tag and better timing than the failed $18 million bond, which was laid out during record-breaking inflation following the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We’re actually kind of lucky that this project is in the market now,” Gibbs said. “Prices are still high, but they’ve stabilized.”
Of the larger bond for new construction, rejected before his tenure as administrator, Gibbs added “I think we dodged a bullet.”
Still, he noted, “If I brought a company into this facility, I’d be absolutely embarrassed.”
The chief questioned what such conditions do for both department morale and community pride.
“The town has never built a police station,” said Lafferty, noting the improvements will be enjoyed long after he’s left the department. “It’s a public building. It’s for the town.”
Asked what he’d say to those concerned the plan has been rushed, Gibbs refuted the idea.
“There’s a lot of people who have spent a lot of time on this project,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a project that’s been analyzed as much as this thing has.”
Early voting is now underway 8 a.m. through 4 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 8 a.m. through 7 p.m. on Thursday; and 8 a.m. through noon on Friday at Town Hall at 83 Green St. with the exception of Martin Luther King Day. The town’s official voting day for the special referendum on Tuesday, Feb. 3 will have voting hours from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Town Hall.
Shame on this town for allowing the police to work in such squalor. The Chief is an honorable person and left a building from the last Chief in disgusting ill repair. If you support the North Smithfield Police Department as I do, support to fix this mess.
Looks like it could be haunted, maybe they can get some youtubers to buy it.
Yes the department is just purposely trashing the place and the chief came up with some evil plan to scheme and get money. This town is an absolute embarrassment and even more embarrassing that the station is being called the “Taj Mahal” – all to be a station that can function and doesn’t make the dept sick from mold. Also interesting someone can shell out money to buy air time when that money can go towards the station. But 10 years ago right?
We cannot do anything about 10 years ago so let’s move forward and fix the issue!!!
Look at that place man. There’s literal garbage and junk all over the place, and they’re making it out as if it’s the building’s fault.
If they can’t take care of the current building, and even put the slighest bit of effort to keep things tidy and clean, why should we trust them to do the same with $9 Million in rennovations?
Look at the damage. No actually open your eyes and look without bias. This is not newly inflicted damage but rather degradation over time. You have to be delusional to think otherwise.
The stairs are rusty and rickety because no one has been painting them. The paint on the walls is peeling, because no one has been painting them. The cables hanging from the ceilng and sitting on the floor are there because no one moved them or cleaned them up. The windows are broken because no one fixed them. Rooms are cluttered and full of boxes because no one is organizing things.
All buildings need routine maintenance and work. Without any maintenance, they will quickly fall into severe disrepair. This building has been neglected, and they are continuing to neglect it. Why should we allow them to spend $9 million on it, so in 10 years we can be right back to where it is now?
So are you expecting the police officers to clean the building, paint, replace the toilets, etc etc in addition to doing their job? Did you attend the walk-thru that was offered to the public? I’m sure the chief or any patrol officer would gladly do an extensive walk-thru of the building with you or ANYONE so you can see for yourself. The money is to revamp the building and avoid these adhoc costs to maintain this “building”
I am expecting the town to do the maintenance ANY building requires, which is routine painting, window and plumbing repairs. I am expecting the police department to maintain their workspaces – i.e., pick trash up off the ground, keep things organized, make sure IT equipment is orderly.
This is a failure of the town’s facilities department.
I listened to the on air complainer and hoped to offer my opinion about the one sided information, but the presentation was designed to disallow responses. That was like a social media rant that turns off comments. Truth denied.
Don’t worry Prone Dalia you’ll have another opportunity to take a shot on 1/29 at 10:05. For my first broadcast it was suggested I keep it simple and allow text questions only. I lost track of the time but did accept questions close to the end of the program but only received one. I was told that some people did call the station with questions but I guess they were hesitant to text and disclose their true identity. It’s hard to imagine grown adults who lack the confidence to share their opinions publicly, but I guess it happens to some.
OMG, I am so sick of the picture taking and lack of effort regarding this station. Are there no janitors working in that building? Not one person that can come in and clean the mess? You have mice and rodents, but not one person can call a pest control company? This fiasco has been in the making for years and we are sick of it. Maybe if one individual could step up and make a concerted effort, the town may be willing to fund this, but your complacency proves that even a new, funded project would be allowed to rot just like this. History would repeat itself.
Do not believe the Police Chief. This was the Chief’s and his cohorts plan all along. Let the building deteriorate and do zero maintenance so we can get a Taj Mahal new building to provide zero service. All of the items shown can be fixed and improved for far less than $9M. This is a money grab for union contractors and engineers. Please get out and vote no as the police chief can not be trusted.
Looks like cleaning scraping and painting
Maybe new doors/windows geeze
Shame on past and current administrations and councils. This renovation should have been accomplished years ago when it was originally approved. But too many elected officials kept putting off the renovations while back room planning for a new police station. The monies originally approved from that bond were never implemented as voted upon and then squandered on other projects. This is just one example on how our town management is a disgrace. The current bond is too vague and there is no detail to what it will encompass and as written might just fail. As the saying goes, “You reap what you sow”.
Moving them into anyone’s basement would be an improvement!!!
It’s high time this town stepped into modern times and constructed a state of the Art public safety complex housing police, fire, town municipal offices, a rec. center and perhaps the library – all on one property. Then you could sell off about a half a dozen properties to help fund the project and become more efficient with less properties to maintain. This would be a better use of the Halliwell property! Perhaps build or lease space at Dowling village for an NSPD substation as well. Long term forward thinking……never an attribute we get out of any leadership.
And doesn’t it seem STRANGE that a resident would PAY to buy radio time to broadcast his opinion and influence the vote AGAINST the police station improvements. I remember his FB page (that has been taken down for harassment complaints) was very anti police and critical of the chief. Apparently HE is a woke, DEFUND THE POLICE kinda guy!
I guess you are a signaling a position against a referendum if you are looking to build a new Public safety complex instead. Did I read that right?
Do you have a basement?
Fiscal responsibility is not really about the police. Unfortunately they are collateral damage to the incompetence of our town administration and elected officials.
Put up or shut up cowardly lion. You state my page was “taken down for harassment complaints”. Be good enough to provide documentation to back that up. Good chance a lawyer will tell me that a lawsuit for defamation would gain access to information regarding your identity. Don’t think that your comment was bulletproof just because you didn’t include my name. I’m now thankful that Sandy shared my name in her article. You’re a reckless kinda guy aren’t you.
I’m still not seeing $9 Million worth of work that needs to be done.
A lot of that disaster is self-inflicted. The hanging wires everywhere is from an uncaring IT guy, the boarded up window is from a facilities department too lazy to have the window frame repaired, the air conditioned rammed into a window haphazardly in the opening photo is not the fault of the building.
Yes the building needs help, but what I see is a lot of neglect and abuse from the people working in that building. What’s the point of spending $9 Million if you’re going to trash the place?
When did we get a facilities department in this town? Also, is it the police chiefs fault that there are no facilities to accommodate females? Is it the police chiefs fault that the windows are original to the building? Is it the police chiefs fault that the ceiling tiles are loaded with asbestos? How about the paint? Which most likely has lead in it? Get a grip on reality and come to terms with the fact that the building needs to be renovated properly. Would you live in a house from 1929 that has zero work done to it? You are part of the problem why nothing can get done in this town, because you think everything can be nickeled and dimed to save a few bucks.
You forget we approved a proper renovation to that building over 10 years ago and almost nothing has been accomplished. It might also be prudent for those working in that space to make an effort to clean up after themselves, looks like it was purposively neglected.
The town literally has a public works department. The purpose of a public works department is to maintain publicly owned facilities. The town isn’t maintaining their properties, so why should we spend $9 million for them to continue to not maintain them?
The town has a public works department, but how many requests have been sent it for fixes? Is there a building manager that they bring requests to, which then get upchanneled for funds to fix? This is basic building managing 101, that the chief is neglecting. (It’s in the charter as part of the job requirement). Why hasn’t there been any preventive maintenance done for the last 10 years?
Wow, didn`t realize it was that bad! Moving them back into the basement of the old town hall would be an improvement.