COSTA MESA : West Side Police Substation to Reopen

The city’s west side police substation will reopen next week, less than a year after budget cuts forced officials to close it.

The station will provide west side residents with a convenient location to report crime problems, get bicycle licenses and pick up information, city officials said.

“This is your local neighborhood station,” said Officer Darrell Freeman, who supervised the substation, located across the street from Lions Park at 567 W. 18th St.

The reopening was made possible by five senior citizens who agreed to volunteer their time to the department. The volunteers underwent several months of training and will staff the substation’s front desk beginning Wednesday. They will wear civilian police employee uniforms.

The city closed the 9-year-old substation in July when budget cuts required officials to transfer the station’s two civilian employees to police headquarters, Freeman said.

The substation will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

Residents who need copies of police records still must go to the main police headquarters.

The substation also is sponsoring a cleanup on the 700 block of Shalimar Street on Saturday between 9 a.m. and noon. Residents can help remove graffiti and clear away mattresses, couches and chairs from a nearby alley.