Cedarburg police lobby 'Safe Space' program
CEDARBURG, Wis. - The Cedarburg Police Department has a new state-of-the-art alarm system designed to keep you safe in an emergency situation.
The police chief said it allows people to have a safe space inside the department at a time when the lobby is unoccupied.
This new system is very easy to use.
A part of the building is always unlocked, but the lobby is closed during third shift. If you are in need of help, you click a button which allows you to go inside and wait for assistance.
The alarm is loud and will likely scare away someone trying to cause you harm.
"We want to make sure it’s a safe space between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.," said Cedarburg Police Chief Michael McNerney.
McNerney said the department lost a third shift dispatcher due to vacancies. This means the department lobby is locked between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. This does not mean there are no officers on duty. It just means officers are out patrolling and there is no one monitoring the lobby during third shift.
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Here’s how it works.
"First, they will come in," said McNerney. "They will activate the button. That will unlock the door, set the alarm off and then they will pull the door open, shut the door behind them, and it reactivates the lock. They are safe inside the space."
Cedarburg is known for being a quaint community, but McNerney said tragedy does not have a city limit.
"It could happen anywhere," he said.
The chief referenced a disturbing incident from 2015 out of Fox Lake, Wisconsin, where a man was charged for killing his wife outside a police station when the lobby was unoccupied. He says these lobby windows have been updated.
"There’s a coating on the glass where they can’t break it out with a blunt force, like an ax, bat or something like that," said McNerney.
Again, you press the button on the left side of the wall, allowing the left door to unlock. You open it and shut it behind you. No one can get inside until help arrives.
The Cedarburg Police Department is hosting an Active Shooter Response for Civilians program on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Cedarburg Police Department Community Room; W75N444 Wauwatosa Road. The program is free; however, interested individuals must pre-register by contacting Amy Fischer at 262-375-7620. Registration will be first-come, first-served. The program will last approximately one hour.
Presentations are also available for business, groups and civic organizations. To schedule a presentation, please contact Captain Joe Kell or Sgt. Thomas Schellinger at 262-375-7620.