Bishop - PD relocation on hold

After more than a year of negotiations, Verizon Corporation and legalities are delaying the relocation of the Bishop Police Department, once again.
Bishop Police Chief Kathleen Sheehan said last week that Verizon is being very cooperative, however the corporation’s legal department is adding details for the betterment of Verizon and the community.
Sheehan said Verizon wants to do a legal sub-division of its vacant property at 350 Lagoon St. in Bishop, where the PD is hoping to relocate. Sheehan explained that the Verizon tower and switching station behind the buildings of the property are critical facilities for maintaining emergency management communications from Olancha to Nevada.
She added that this move may delay progress up to two months before a purchase agreement could be brought before the Bishop City Council for its review and approval. Sheehan also said she is working on grant proposals for funding and she’s waiting for approval.

The employee break-room inside the Bishop Police Department, which also serves as a storage room. Police Chief Kathleen Sheehan said officers can’t move around much on the couch without knocking something over, which is not much of a break. Photo by Mike Bodine

The option of the Verizon building first became available about 15 months ago, when Verizon offered to sell the property to the city. For nearly a year, city administration and staff has been researching the costs and designs of such a relocation, including a rough site design that would allow for better estimates on the total project.
In June 2008, a design firm was hired to draw plans. By July 2008, Sheehan told the Bishop City Council that legal documents still needed review by the city’s lawyers and staff, delaying the project.
It has been known for a while that the Bishop Police Department’s current facility on West Line Street is not large enough to fully accommodate the needs of officers and the community.
The 2007-08 Inyo County Grand Jury Report recommends, “The City of Bishop and Bishop Police Department should vigorously search for a facility large enough to fully meet the needs of the department.”
Verizon Director of Government and External Affairs Michael Page said Monday that Verizon doesn’t comment on these sorts of matters until the issue is completely resolved.