After decades Police Headquarters may be relocating in Ocean City, New Jersey

For over 140 years, the Ocean City Police Department has served and protected the popular South Jersey Coastal Community. As the New Jersey Shore has evolved, so has the Police Department over the decades.

Part of the town's plans to modernize their Police Department is the building of a new police substation that will be located at Eighth Street and the Boardwalk. But the Public Safety Building which is the main headquarters for the Ocean City Police Department is over 145 years old is in need of its own major upgrades.

There have been discussions for years about what to do about the old building located on Central Avenue in between 8th street and 9th street. There are reports that it would cost approximately $30 million to modernize and upgrade the current Public Safety Building and Police Headquarters.

Could the OCPD Move To A New Location In The Future?

Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian announced that city government officials are investigating if moving to a new location would be a cost effective move than modernizing the current police headquarters.

One of the iconic buildings in Ocean City, the Crown Bank building has been located at the corner of 8th street and Asbury Avenue for over 100 years. The six-story building has not been a bank for many years and today is home to The Shoppes at Asbury and Ocean City leases two of the floors in the building.

The idea would be if the Police Department would move into the Crown Bank building then the city could demolition the 145 year old Public Safety Building that was originally built to be a public school. Ocean City has already been purchasing properties along Central Avenue to expand public parking lots. One of those lots purchased is the area adjacent and behind the Crown Bank building.

As mentioned earlier, the current occupants of the Crown Bank building is the The Shoppes on Asbury. Here is a virtual tour of the what this shopping experience offers visitors: