Philipsburg Police Substation at Captain Hodge to reopen soon

GREAT BAY--With financial injections from Port St. Maarten and the Indian merchants Association (IMA) The long-anticipated reopening of the Philipsburg Police Substation, located at the Captain Hodge pier on the Boardwalk, is expected to take place soon, possibly as early as next week.

The project is a joint effort between Port St. Maarten, the Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM)/Ministry of Justice, and the Indian Merchants Association (IMA), reflecting a strong partnership between government, law enforcement, and the business community.

Work on the substation, which is owned by Port St. Maarten, has been overseen from the police side by the community police officer assigned to the Philipsburg area. The reopening had originally been scheduled for last week but was delayed as internal upgrades were still being completed.

Port St. Maarten contributed by providing essential facilities such as the kitchen area and flooring, while the police oversaw out other interior work, given that KPSM will be responsible for operating the station.

The manning of the substation is currently being finalized. However, it is expected that police presence in the Philipsburg area will be significantly strengthened once the substation is operational again.

The IMA has also allocated funding toward the reopening, stepping in where the Ministry of Justice lacked the immediate financial resources. The exact amount of funding and the specific uses of these funds have not yet been made public.

Earlier this year, in May, the Police Force of Sint Maarten hosted a key meeting at the Philipsburg Police Station with the Honorable Minister of Justice, members of the KPSM management team, and representatives of the IMA. That meeting focused on building stronger partnerships to enhance public safety in Philipsburg, with the revitalization of the Captain Hodge Wharf substation as a central element.

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