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Medford welcomes new police station Thursday Oct 6, 2016 at 5:21 PM Oct 6, 2016 at 5:45 PM Damian Mann Mail Tribune @reporterdm Medford officials cut the ribbon Thursday, unveiling the gleaming, new police headquarters at the corner of Ivy and 10th streets, across from City Hall. Retired police Chief Tim George spoke to about 200 people and described how the building would help improve police work. "It's so nice the bad guys will come here and confess their sins," he quipped. The project, designed by ORW Architecture and built by Adroit Construction, has had its ups and downs over the years and was part of a $6 million shortfall involving the police headquarters and three proposed fire stations. "When we started on this little adventure, we didn't know how long it would take and if we'd even get there," Mayor Gary Wheeler said. "We took a lot of heat at times from different sectors." Final numbers aren't in yet, but city officials have so far managed to keep the cost of the police headquarters and parking garage at $21 million, according to the latest figures available in September. The original bond proceeds were almost $22 million, but then the city hit cost overruns once the project started and has been working to bring the price down ever since. A $1 million façade for the parking garage was scaled back early in the project. "It appears we're going to be $400,000 under on the police station and $600,000 under on the parking garage," Councilor Dick Gordon said. Police have been located in "temporary" quarters on the first floor of City Hall for decades but should begin moving into their new building next week. Wheeler said he remembered getting in the elevator once at City Hall and standing next to a guy in an orange jumpsuit and shackles. "I'm really happy for our police force to have a facility worthy of them," he said. The new facility will keep suspects, witnesses and victims separated. Police Chief Randy Sparacino said the new building will provide a secure place to deal with major emergencies that might strike the valley. "This building was built to withstand an earthquake," he said. — Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected]. Follow him on www.twitter.com/reporterdm.