Villemomble municipal police officers will soon have a new home.
The exterior facade of the building is already finished and welcoming, as Valérie Pécresse (LR), the president of the Île-de-France regional council, observed during a recent site visit.
Inside, the white walls and partially tiled floor remind us that improvements remain to be made.
The inauguration is planned for the end of the first half of this year.
This is the first time that the town has had a municipal police station.
It will be the workplace of 17 municipal police officers, supported by seven public highway surveillance agents (ASVP) and by a few administrative agents, as explained by Éric Mallet, deputy mayor responsible for municipal heritage and buildings.
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The building under construction, located rue Huraut, was formerly a fire station.
“It is strategic to have our police in this location,” explains the municipality.
It is located in the heart of the city, agents can intervene quickly anywhere.
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48 new video surveillance cameras
“Municipal police officers are the real local police officers today,” underlines Valérie Pécresse.
We must not compromise on safety, it is important.
» The Region allocated 342,000 euros for the rehabilitation of the building and its transformation into a police station, for a total estimated at 1.3 million euros.
To this sum is added 33,000 euros of equipment, such as bulletproof vests, radios and various vehicles.
“Subsidies from the Region are welcome,” greets Éric Mallet.
The Villemomble municipal police have carried out 6,000 interventions since their creation in 2020, they need resources.
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The
building
, which will house meeting rooms, a sports hall and other offices, will also house a modern urban supervision center (CSU).
It will be connected to 48 new video surveillance cameras, also financed by the regional council to the tune of 724,000 euros.
This vast video surveillance network should make it possible to better combat street harassment.
The images could be used for other issues such as road accidents or safety in high traffic locations such as train stations.
“The images can also support law enforcement on the move,” adds the municipality.
CSU agents can inform them live of the situation at the scene of intervention.
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An additional 200,000 euros for the church and its concrete bell tower
In Villemomble, the regional council does not only participate in financing the future premises of the municipal police.
He also put his hand into the portfolio for the renovation of the Saint-Louis church.
The religious building, 54 meters high, is enveloped in tarpaulins and metal scaffolding.
Since July, major work has been taking place there to improve the watertightness of the building inaugurated in 1901. At the top of the bell tower, we discover in particular imposing statues of 28 religious figures (20 saints, four seraphim and four evangelists), carved in reinforced concrete.
It is in particular this innovative architecture which has enabled the city to benefit from 300,000 euros under the Heritage Lottery, for the renovation of the building, including that of the bell tower.
The total cost of the work exceeds 1.5 million euros.
The Île-de-France region supports them financially for a moment of 200,000 euros.
“This church is classified as a historic monument, so I find it normal to support its restoration,” argues Valérie Pécresse.
Several months will still be necessary to see the bell tower exposed again, without scaffolding.