New police precincts coming to Cape Coral

The Cape Coral Police Department is adding new precincts around the city. The reason? Growth.

Cape Coral is Southwest Florida’s largest city.

WINK News reporter Paul Dolan spoke with officers about how the added precincts will help account for that growth.

Cape Coral’s growth isn’t stopping anytime soon, or at least that’s what the city’s police department believes.

“Probably 250,000 people, maybe more, maybe less, but it’s only going to keep growing,” said Mercedes Phillips, CCPD spokeswoman.

Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore thinks adding four new police precincts—the first on Chester Street—will help.

“So, obviously, with the growing city, you have a growing police force,” Phillips said.

While the city expands, CCPD hopes to localize how it patrols the streets.

The police department believes that if officers stay in their quadrant or area, they will be more connected to the community.

“The community knows that we’re there, and the criminals will also know that we’re there, so maybe that will help with crime rates in that area, and like I said, the closer we are to the zone and where you’re supposed to be patrolling the neighborhood, the quicker you can get to a call if someone needs it,” Phillips said.

Brent Gardner lives in Cape, and when we asked him about the precinct plan, he said it sounds like a good idea.

“Having those folks be closer to the places where those things can happen will ensure that Cape Coral remains a safe community,” Gardner said.

Only time will tell if this plan of growing the police force will work to improve safety in the city.

CCPD said this first new precinct will open in a month or two. There is no word on the exact locations where the other new precincts will go just yet.