More than 60,000 people call Taunton home. For decades, the people in charge of keeping those residents safe have been working in old buildings, often in poor conditions.
"We have to do something, we want to ensure that we provide the highest level of services to our residents and our businesses," said Mayor Shaunna O'Connell. The police department has moved multiple times since the 1970s. The current location used to be a supermarket.
According to Police Chief Ed Walsh, "We need a facility that's geared towards public safety." The same goes for the city's Central Fire Station. It’s one of the oldest active firehouses in the nation, built back in 1869 for horse-drawn fire wagons. "The old hay loft at Central Station designed for horses, doubles as a workout room, rec room, that's what we use," said Fire Chief Timothy Bradshaw.