The San Diego Police Department's Southern Division police station has been cleared to reopen to the public and personnel following a temporary closure last week due to a potential mold issue, police said on Wednesday.
Front counter services resumed normal operations on Tuesday, running Monday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Community members should continue to dial 911 for emergencies and 619-531-2000 for non-emergencies. Many crimes can also be reported online at www.sandiego.gov/police.
Over the past week, the city took several steps to assess and remedy the issue at Southern Division. On Oct. 1, the city completed a thorough cleaning of the facility by a professional contract vendor. All furniture, walls, floors, carpets and other areas were sanitized using a specialized concentration of antimicrobial cleansing agent, followed by a facility fogging to eliminate invisible mold spores, according to the department.
A visual assessment of the HVAC ducting on Oct. 2 revealed no immediate signs of mold within the system. That same day, the County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health and Quality began an indoor air quality assessment, collecting interior samples for rush analysis to determine if mold persisted and to ensure conditions do not support future growth. Sample results ultimately determined that the area is safe for re-occupancy.
Although the HVAC system did not show any immediate signs of mold, the city will complete duct cleaning of the HVAC system to support air quality and further mitigate the potential for future mold growth,
police officials stated.
To maintain a dry environment and prevent regrowth, the city is installing dehumidifiers in select locations throughout the station and locker rooms, and is exploring the installation of additional fans in the locker rooms.
Southern Division patrol officers resumed responding to calls for service from the police station earlier Tuesday afternoon.
