The Houston Independent School District Police Department opened a new police substation in northeast Houston to better support the schools and communities in that area.

Located in the former Chatham Elementary School on Bertwood Street, the northeast substation will serve the north, east, and central sides of town.

The new location was established as part of the police department’s safety and security initiatives for the 2018-2019 school year.

“Instead of having our north, east, and central schools drive all the way to HISD Police headquarters on Tampa, this new location will be an alternative,” HISD Police Sgt. Quinten Flannel said. “Through this expansion, we’ll be able to better serve the schools on this side of town.”

The substation currently has designated areas for the district’s newly-created Emergency Response Team, K9 Unit, Community Outreach Division, Cyber Security, Gang Suppression, and Investigations divisions, as well as a Juvenile Processing Center.

The facility features satellite offices, a weight room, and an outdoor obstacle course, as well as 10 specialized training rooms where officers will conduct routine trainings to sharpen their skills.

“We have already been approached by several neighbors around the northeast annex,” Flannel said. “We’re ready to start developing a partnership with them and with law enforcement agencies around this area. We’re excited, we’re here, and we’re present.”

Flannel said the addition of the substation will ultimately help HISD police officers better serve the district and other areas of the city.

“This expansion is also for our officers,” Flannel said. “If our team needs to do an investigation on this side of town, they’ll have an office here. We’ll also have multiple trainings taking place here for all HISD officers.”

Planning also is underway for a southeast substation that will be located in the Gulfton area.