Police Chief Aims to Bring Community Outpost to Waite Park

WAITE PARK -- The Waite Park Police Department is in the early stages of bringing a community outpost to the city.

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Police Chief Dave Bentrud says this building won't be a traditional COP House with officers stationed in a troubled neighborhood, but rather a place where youth and seniors can gather and hangout in the community.

Our community outpost is similar, but we are looking at an area in the south part of town that is close to our youth and seniors where we can create some intergenerational connections. As opposed to trying to get rid of a problem house, which is what the St. Cloud model was.

Bentrud says historically there hasn't been a lot of youth programming in Waite Park and views this as an opportunity to change that narrative.

He says he's has been working with the Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota to develop the specific programming and how it will work for Waite Park.

Boys and Girls Club President Mary Swingle says they view this facility as a combination of one of the clubs and the Whitney Senior Center.

Just looking at different opportunities that benefit our youth and seniors. It's all about what we can do to create an educational win/win environment for the communities that we serve.

Bentrud says they don’t have a site identified or a budget established at this moment. However, he says they continue to hear strong support for an amenity like this.