EVERETT — The Everett City Council voted Wednesday to approve the purchase of a $2.5 million property to be used as a new evidence room for the city’s police department.
The new facility, known as a property room, will total about 13,500 square feet and be used to store evidence used in trials along with lost and found property. The Everett Police Department’s current property room is a leased space, located in the basement of a downtown building on Colby Avenue.
The city is set to purchase 3310 Paine Ave. as the site for the new property room, located near Everett Station. It’s currently home to a wholesale electrical supply company that has a lease agreement through the end of 2026, city documents show.
Everett Chief of Police John DeRousse said once the police department gets access to the building, a warehouse-like space, it will take a few months to build out infrastructure — like alarm systems and new secure areas — needed to bring the evidence room up to the necessary standards. He said the company currently leasing the space may leave before the end of 2026, but its unclear when exactly the department will be able to start renovation work.
DeRousse said the main benefit of the new facility will be the fact that the police department owns the space and can make changes to the building as necessary. The new building will also have more vertical space to store evidence and other property when needed, he said.
“I think the most important thing is to get our staff in a place where they can be in a facility that can grow, that can change, to help be as conducive as possible to their day-to-day work,” DeRousse said Thursday. “There’s a lot that goes into evidence and property room management, so I’m glad to see that we’re going to provide them with a better space.”
Will Geschke: 425-339-3443; william.geschke@heraldnet.com; X: @willgeschke.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
