Central Fresno Policing District officially launched with new station

Fresno city officials joined Police Department leaders Tuesday to officially open the Central Fresno Policing District headquarters at Manchester Center.

Mayor Ashley Swearengin, Police Chief Jerry Dyer, City Manager Bruce Rudd and Ben Nazarian, the owner of the center, celebrated the new police station. With it, the city has expanded from four policing districts to five.

Manchester Center was identified as the best place to locate the new station because of its central location, proximity to freeways and available office space. It is on heavily traveled North Blackstone Avenue and is near the city’s Manchester Transit Center.

The Central District’s return reflects Fresno’s improvement since the Great Recession, which hit the city hard and led to police being laid off in budget cutting. The Central District station closed during that time.

This story was originally published October 4, 2016 at 4:25 PM with the headline "Central Fresno Policing District officially launched with new station."