GULF SHORES, Ala. – The City Council voted on Nov. 14 to spend $48,000 on a study to assess future needs of the police department.

Public Works Director Mark Acreman and Deputy Police Chief Fred Beamon attended a weeklong seminar by the firm McClaren, Wilson and Lawrie about improving police facilities.

“This is an architectural firm that specializes in police facilities,” he said. “That’s what their main focus is. They’ve done 25 to 30 police facilities across the entire country. This is looking at our current needs at the police department as well as 10 years and 20 years out to be part of the strategic plan.”

Mayor Robert Craft says the needs of the police department are obvious and the assessment will help the city decide how address those needs.

“If you look around the city, it’s one of the facilities that we have definitely outgrown,” Craft said. “It is a facility that we need to (study) for growth and based on financial needs going forward.”

While the finances are not there to pay for new facilities, but Craft says bond money may soon become available.

“Obviously we don’t have the resources to start rebuilding the police station right now but we need to understand exactly what we need so when we pay out of bond issues that we’re already paying down,” Craft said.

“Once we get those retired we’ll have the opportunity to use some of that money. This will give us information for that.”