CINCINNATI -- "If I worked here, I would quit."
City leaders took a walk through Cincinnati Police Department's District 5 headquarters Wednesday morning. Councilmen Charlie Winburn and Wendell Young said they found bugs, spiders and mold.
"I would refuse to work in this building," Young said.
Concerns were initially brought up by CPD officers, according to Winburn's chief of staff, and by the police union. FOP President Dan Hils joined the councilmen on the tour of the facility on Ludlow Avenue.
Claims from officers ranged from asbestos and mold to bug infestation.
“We need to start with the safety in the current building by addressing every single health concern immediately," Winburn said in a statement before the tour. "I’d like to see a plan to relocate District 5 to a temporary location in the next three months so that by the time we pass our budget in June, District 5 officers are in a temporary location and we’re building a new facility."
Wednesday, City Manager Harry Black sent a memo to the mayor and city council regarding the District 5 building. Black said the city's office of environment and sustainability would perform an "environmental audit" of the building, mold testing and radon testing.
The initial report from Larry Falkin, director of environment and sustainability, said no asbestos, radon or mold concerns were observed. Black said final results will be released soon.
