MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - A brand new Memphis police precinct has been sitting empty for months, all over a dispute over furniture.
No furniture means police can't move in and work and the people who live in that neighborhood aren't getting the police presence they were counting on.
The new Crump Station was completed in May. It cost $4.5 million and is 15,000 square feet. Some desks, tables and chairs are all it needs to open.
Mayor A C Wharton knows a brand new empty police precinct doesn't look good. Furniture should have been ordered in time for the precinct to open four months ago.
After months of delays a company was just awarded the contract to supply the furniture, but get this: it's not a furniture company, it sells chemical and janitorial supplies.
The company's website doesn't say anything about selling furniture. It does have an extensive list of all the cleaning products, equipment and services it provides.
While this whole furniture dispute has gone on, every day an officer is assigned to go do security at the empty precinct.
Monday, ABC24 News found the officer with eyes closed and nearly snoring. She was like this almost the entire half hour we were in the building with our cameras.
As you can imagine MPD brass wasn't happy to learn the officer was sleeping on the job, but Director Toney Armstrong is happy the furniture dispute appears to be over.
Truth is we've seen one delay after another when it comes to new city buildings opening on time. It makes you wonder if those responsible for opening the police station on time were as sound asleep as their officer assigned to watch the place.
