New police station will be built in Fremantle as part of a $96.5 million cash splash on police facility refurbishments in WA

Fremantle’s “unfit for use” police station will be replaced by a new $50 million facility, as part of a State-wide station facelift.

Police Minister Michelle Roberts said the “state of the art facility” — planned to be built at the former Stan Reilly Reserve site on South Terrace — was “long overdue”.

“It was more than 10 years ago since the original Fremantle station was deemed unfit for use,” she said.

“They moved to a temporary location operating out of an old bank building, that has proven to be totally and completely unacceptable.”

The announcement comes three years after the Corruption and Crime Commission found the Fremantle station “sub-standard” and “unsuitable” for anyone disabled or non-compliant – putting detainees, police officers and the public at risk.

The $52.6 facility is expected to be built in about two years with extra police officers allocated to the station after it’s completion.

The project is part of a $96.5 million recovery plan to upgrade and refurbish police stations across the State, including five in the metro area and 10 in regional WA.

The funding also includes $4.2 million set aside to build a new wharf and jetty for the Fremantle Headquarters of the water police.

Ms Roberts said WA Police had been liaising with with th City of Fremantle on it’s plans to use the site as part of the Fremantle Oval development.

“We’ve attempted to work with the City of Fremantle as much as possible, but at the end of the day we need a site and we want a site that’s central,” she said.