Hundreds visit local police station
By Alex Lloyd Gross
It’s almost never a good idea to visit the local police station. They keyword in that sentence is almost. Yesterday, April 10, 2016 just shy of 1000 people took advantage of an open house opportunity to visit the inside of the Bensalem Police station on Byberry Road. Bensalem, is located in Bucks County Pa, is just north of Philadelphia. It’s the largest police department in the county. That means there is a lot to see.
At first glance , inside , it just looks like a bunch of offices. It’s not. There is a field training simulator where officers will be shown scenarios to determine whether to shoot or not. There are different versions of the same situation. In one instance a defiant subject verbally is abusive and pulls out his ID quickly. He is supposed to be armed. Another the same subject is respectful and when you last expect it, he whips out a firearm. There are evidence lockers, holding facilities and interview rooms. Even a DNA lab.
Outside the facility, there was a static display of the crime scene and SWAT units. Even the Fire Department got into the act by displaying their truck. People could climb on and in the trucks and examine all of the tools carried on those trucks.. After that, folks could line up and be escorted through the police station by members of the police command staff. The event was open to everyone regardless of where they lived.
Some local politicians showed up and depending on when people got there, they could discuss their concerns with them. This is different than Bensalem Pride Day which will be held in the fall. That event is much larger and logistically, it would not be possible to give tours of the interior of the Police Station. During that event , the Command Staff is busy making sure Pride Day runs smooth. It is possible that another open house can be held in the future.