For several years, personnel at the station have been battling narrow hallway entrances, cramped office spaces and inadequate facilities inside the poorly structured building on Saratoga Avenue. These conditions not only make it difficult for deputies and employees to work and move about freely, they are also noncompliant with the rules and regulations set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

According to the station's captain, John Hirokawa, and Sgt. Bill Tait, there are too many things that need to be done to both the interior and exterior of the building to bring the station up to standards. They said that the best alternative would be to move to a completely new location.

"Our first and foremost concern is providing easy access into and out of the station," said Hirokawa. "We don't want to single out any groups such as the elderly who may be less mobile or the physically disabled in need of additional assistance."

As it is currently designed, the station requires that visitors walk up a relatively steep flight of stairs to get to the main working floor. Though this may be an effortless task for able residents, it serves as a major barrier for less-mobile individuals.

In such cases, an officer will either assist visitors up the stairs or meet with people in the downstairs lobby area.

"What we need are automatic doors with buttons so that people in wheelchairs could go in and out of the station without having the need for an officer to assist them," said Tait.

But even with an automatic door, the problem of getting to the second level would still be an issue.

"We can't even put a ramp in here, because the hallway is so steep and narrow," said Hirokawa. "If we add an elevator, that would mean we would have to take out the public restroom downstairs. So the question would then be: where would we put the restroom?"

Another major problem is providing enough parking spaces for the public, employees and patrol vehicles. According to Hirokawa, there are 45 official vehicles and only 31 parking spaces, forcing many deputies and sheriffs to park offsite.

Other problem areas that need to be looked into are the small, barred windows, which are located beyond reach; the outdated ventilation system; loose cords; the small kitchen shared with a wall of telephone wires; and a bathroom facility that Tait described as being "deplorable and pathetic."

"The conditions in here are so bad that if this place were to set on fire, we would probably not be able to get out," said Tait.

According to Hirokawa and Tait, the county performed a space-needs assessment approximately nine years ago and concluded that the station needed at least 9,500 square feet of office space to perform daily functions. That meant the station had to add an additional 4,500 square feet to its existing 5,000-square-foot building. However, instead of expanding in square footage, the station added 12 people to the staff, which created even tighter working quarters.

Cohn said she was shocked by the condition of the station upon one of her tours.

"I've seen other facilities that range from brand new to horrible," she said. "This one is the absolute worst. The building was sweltering hot and the equipment was in desperate need of an upgrade. I'm ashamed that officers have had to sustain such terrible conditions for so long while providing good service to the community."

As part of the deal, officers must agree to stay in Saratoga.

"They need to have a strong presence in the community," said Cohn.

Hirokawa said that staying in Saratoga would benefit the community in several ways. First, it would allow officers and residents the opportunity to establish connections with one another. In addition, it would give responding officers a place to gather in the event of an emergency.

The details of the grant are still being discussed, but Hirokawa and Tait said they've explored potential spots, one of them being the soon-to-be vacant office building next to Quito Market on Cox Avenue.

"That building will suit all of our needs," said Tait. "The property manager seems eager to help us out."