SEAL BEACH : Police Facility Nearly Finished

A wave of volunteers is expected to finish construction of the new pierside police office this weekend in an effort residents say is proof of the city’s enduring small-town spirit.

Downtown residents and merchants have called for a police substation at the pier since 1968, when police headquarters moved from the beach area to a remote part of the city, across from the Naval Weapons Station.

With no hope in sight for city funding, restaurateur and Seal Beach native Jack Haley spearheaded an all-volunteer effort to build a satellite police station.

The estimated $134,000 cost of the Police Department Community Safety Building was paid for with donations of money, materials and labor.

People from throughout the county and beyond have volunteered to work on the building, which will serve as a base for beach-area officers and police-trained volunteers.

“This has really snowballed,” Haley said. “It has become kind of like the old days in this country, the way we used to help our neighbors. When somebody wanted to build a house, everybody showed up and helped them build the house. That’s exactly what’s happened here in Seal Beach.”

Construction began on Sept. 9, and Haley said he expects to hand the keys over to the Police Department on Monday.

Many of the volunteers were passersby caught up in the spirit of the community effort, Haley said.

Local resident Hugh Jones painted the interior and exterior of the building, volunteering his skills after walking by the pier.

Ohio resident Jim Turle, dressed in a suit and tie, also offered to help after noticing the activity.

“He took off his coat and tie and worked for nine hours helping with the nailing,” Haley said.

A young man from Argentina, who came to Orange County seeking medical treatment for his son, also offered to help after passing by.

“For three days, he installed all of the insulation,” said Haley, who has spent $40,000 of his own money on the building.

The Seal Beach Lions Club will have a fund-raising pancake breakfast for the new police building Saturday morning.

“We’ve seen increases in crime here,” Haley said. “This is the center of our community. It’s reassuring to see how many people have wanted to help do something positive here.”