Flag ceremony marks community milestone
VERMILION — Police welcomed residents into the city’s new headquarters Thursday afternoon as local veterans raised the American flag and community leaders celebrated the facility’s formal opening.
The open house began Thursday at 3 p.m. Aug. 6 at 1101 Douglas St. It included a flag-raising ceremony, guided tours, refreshments and opportunities for residents to meet officers and staff.
Police Chief Scott Holmes led the ceremony. Those attending included Mayor Russell Owens, former Mayor Jim Forthofer and Lorain County Sheriff Jack Hall.
Members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7576 and American Legion Post 397 participated in raising the flag as police officers stood at attention and saluted.
Hall and a representative of the Lorain County Veterans Service Commission also addressed those gathered for the ceremony.
Holmes said the occasion represented more than the opening of a building.
“Today is about more than opening a new building,” Holmes said. “It is a symbol of our commitment to public safety, community partnership and the values that unite us as neighbors.”
Holmes said the station provides officers and professional staff with the space, technology and resources needed to serve the public effectively. He also described it as a welcoming place where residents can connect with police.
During tours, visitors were shown the station’s central lobby and a designated area where residents can complete paperwork or speak privately with an officer.
The new headquarters also includes dispatch and booking areas, two holding cells, interview rooms, evidence processing and storage areas, administrative and detective offices, locker rooms, a patrol staging area, a secure vehicle entrance and a tornado shelter. An on-site backup generator is intended to keep the facility operational during emergencies.
“Strong communities are built on trust, communication and collaboration,” Holmes said. “A police station should be more than a workplace. It should be a place where people feel welcome, heard and supported.”
Police began operating from the Douglas Street station July 15. Thursday’s open house gave the wider community its first opportunity to tour the completed facility.
City Council authorized a contract with Cleveland-based Ozanne Construction Co. in 2024 for an amount not to exceed $4.6 million. The headquarters was built next to Fire Station No. 1 and near the Vermilion Local Schools campus.
The station’s employee driveway has been designated “Hartung Way” in honor of retired Police Chief Chris Hartung. A street-style sign bearing his name stands near the facility.
Holmes thanked elected officials, community leaders, project architects, contractors, police personnel and residents who helped make the project possible.
He said the raising of the American flag served as a reminder of service, responsibility and the freedoms shared by the community. For officers, he said, those ideals are reflected in their responsibility to protect life, uphold the law and treat community members fairly and respectfully.
“To the members of our police department, thank you for your professionalism and dedication,” Holmes said. “Your work often goes unseen, but it makes a meaningful difference every day.”
