Shakopee Police Open Substation in Southbridge

Without any fanfare – and few taxpayer dollars – there is now a Shakopee Police substation in the Southbridge area.

The station, located in a vacant office space at 8170 Old Carriage Court, has been open to police personnel for about two weeks now, according to Shakopee Police Sgt. Jason Arras. It's also rent free, thanks to owner Steve Soltau. 

Shakopee Mayor Brad Tabke said Monday the the substation is a great idea.

"(It) provides more service for the Southbridge areas and is a perfect example of businesses and cities working together for Shakopee residents," he said. "We need to keep looking for other ways to complete smart projects like these in the future."

While the station isn’t staffed on a regular basis and won’t hold regular office hours, Arras said the added police presence is important.

“Let’s face it,” he said. “We’re a service and we need to keep trying to improve – response times are part of that.

at 475 Gorman St. is nearly 7 miles away from the Southbridge area.

Because officers are welcome to do reports and take statements there, Arras expects improved response times to that area and for the added presence to make Southbridge residents feel more a part of the city.

“It’s a high-traffic area,” he said. “This will keep officers in that part of town.”

After Soltau offered the space recently to police, Arras, who lives in the area, jumped on it, working with Shakopee city staff to find a used desk and computer and get it up and running.

“I thought it was just an awesome idea,” Arras said. “It’s nice to see people from the community reach out to the police department. If he rents it, we are out, but we’ll make good use of the space in the meantime.”