Chief wants police station in downtown Winnipeg

Winnipeg's chief of police says he would like to see the force keep its headquarters downtown.

Keith McCaskill is awaiting a report from city planners to tell him if the current Public Safety Building on Princess Street should be renovated or if the headquarters should be located elsewhere.

"If we have it downtown, I think it's great for the area," McCaskill said. "We've got more officers coming and going from the facility. And in the downtown area, it helps to revitalize and so on. That's not a bad thing."

The limestone exterior on the current Public Safety Building is deteriorating.

Police also say the current building no longer functions well for 911 services and people who work on disaster response.

McCaskill said that before long police also will need a new processing unit for prisoners, a larger place to store evidence and a better forensic facility.   

City officials say the future of the building will be decided soon.