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Eldridge residents shoot down Scott County patrol center

The Scott County Sheriff’s Department was hoping to relocate their patrol center to Eldridge, Iowa. However, after a tense town hall meeting with resident...

The Scott County Sheriff's Department was hoping to relocate their patrol center to Eldridge, Iowa.

However, after a tense town hall meeting with residents, that idea was shot down.

"At the hearing itself, we had about 36 people show up, overwhelmingly against it," said James Martin, the Assistant city Administrator for Eldridge. "They were concerned about traffic issues, and property values decreasing."

The Scott County Chief Deputy, Tom Gibbs, said they wanted to re-locate from Davenport to Eldridge because it'd in a better position for responding to calls and will be an upgrade to their current facility.

"It's an outdated facility. It was originally supposed to be a temporary location when we moved. It's turned into a kind of more permanent home which it wasn't designed for," said Major Gibbs.

The people of Eldridge however, feel the patrol center would encourage industrialization in the residential parts of town.

"The general feeling was they would like to see it relocated, but just not there," said Martin.

"I don't think Eldridge is off the table but we're going to look at other locations to determine what's going to best fit our needs.

Some people in Eldridge also voiced concern that the patrol center could hold a jail cell, but Major Gibbs said that would not happen.

"There will e no prisoners housed out there," Major Gibbs said.

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