Monday marked the Cortland Police Department’s one-month anniversary in its new station.

The 1,700-square-foot station, located at 12950 Route 38, has three offices, a conference room, reception and booking areas, two bathrooms and open office space for part-time officers.

Chief Russell Stokes, two full-time sergeants and five part-time officers moved out of the about 300-square-foot station at Cortland Town Hall on Feb. 1.

“We could no longer function efficiently in the small office,” Stokes said.

When Stokes became the first full-time chief in 1991, Cortland had a population of 850. Today, there are about 2,800 residents.

The rise in population meant an increased demand for police services, Stokes said.

In 2003, the department answered 1,278 calls, up from 904 in 2002, Stokes said. The majority, 1,033 calls, were requests for service, a non-emergency situation such as a vehicle lock-out.

The old, one-room station was located in the back of Cortland Town Hall, 1909 Somonauk Road.

The town hall, built in 1888, had a stage which was converted into the police station in 1998, Stokes said. Prior to that, the officers had radios and worked out of their vehicles.

The only access to the town hall police station was through the front door and the clerk’s offices, offering little privacy for sensitive police business, Stokes said.

Sgt. Dennis Medema said he is happy with the space in the new station.

“We had our own desks in the old station but now we have offices and we needed that,“ Medema said.

Stokes said he spent about five months considering locations for the move. He looked into a modular office, but it proved more expensive than renting space on Route 38.

The rent is within the department’s $213,000 yearly budget and the move did not require a referendum, Stokes said.

The new station has room for the department to grow, offers greater visibility and provides better access to the activity on Route 38, Stokes said.

Additionally, the station has more parking and is handicapped-accessible, unlike the old station.

The department currently lacks office furniture and uses tables for desks. The station should be furnished in the spring, Stokes said.

Stokes said he also hopes to install a call box outside the station for when officers are out on a call and the door must be locked. The call box would dial the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office directly.