BUFFALO, N.Y. — When community members, business leaders, and others talked about safety, the end result was a Niagara Falls Police Department substation inside of Tops supermarket on Portage Road.
Niagara Falls mayor Robert Restaino said the substation gives officers "an opportunity to do their work in a remote way, but also in an efficient way. For them to get back out into the community. So when we offered that opportunity to Tops, we were happy when they suggested that they thought it would be a great addition to all of the things that they've done in this store."
Officers can stay on patrol, within their zone and take care of tasks.
Shoppers like the idea of a police presence.
Lifelong Falls resident Belinda Wilson said "a lot of stuff goes on at this Tops with people sitting outside, they drink and stuff outside, so I'm glad they got this substation here. I mean, I feel safer coming in here now with the substation here."
Niagara Falls police superintendent Nicholas Ligammari said no one will be assigned to the substation, but "as officers have time they're going to be able to pull up, get out of the car and just come into the substation, walk around the store."
"This one is is a true, what I consider a true substation, where officers have access to the public and the public has access to the officers," the superintendent said.
While the police superintendent said he is not sure if the substation will cut down on crime, he admitted it is good to have a police presence.
Shoppers tend to agree. Sam Gasbarre of Niagara Falls never thought he would see the day when a police substation was inside of a supermarket, but he thinks it is a good idea.
"Sometimes you get a couple of shady people coming in and stuff, but other than that, it's usually usually no problem," at this store, Gasbarre said.