A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place last Friday to mark the reopening of the 15th Police District building at 2809 Levick St.
For many years, the aging building housed officers from the 2nd and 15th police districts, along with Northeast Detectives.
The 2nd district found a permanent new home at 7306 Castor Ave. in 2020, but there was no public celebration due to the riots and defund the police movement at the time.
Meanwhile, during massive renovations, 15th district operations were relocated to Highway Patrol, on State Road in Holmesburg in the former Police Academy, a site in the 8th Police District.
Northeast Detectives set up shop in a storefront at the Krewstown Shopping Center.
The new building includes a community room, a box to discard unused medicine, a diversion program office, an area for temporary custody and an elevator.
“Welcome home,” said state Sen. Tina Tartaglione, adding that the State Road location was too far away.
“It’s a great day for Northeast Philadelphia,” said City Councilman Mike Driscoll.
Others who attended the ceremony included interim Police Commissioner John Stanford; Capt. Marques Newsome, commander of the 15th district; state Sen. Jimmy Dillon; state Reps. Jared Solomon, Pat Gallagher, Joe Hohenstein and Jason Dawkins; Councilwoman Quetcy Lozada; Tara Gontek, president of the 15th Police District Advisory Council; Bridget Collins-Greenwald, commissioner of the city Department of Public Property; Donny Smith, executive director of the Mayfair Business Improvement District; Lizanne Pando, president of St. Hubert; and the Rev. Patrick Welsh, pastor at St. Matthew Catholic Church. ••
