Joe Jarosz
Northeast News
Dec. 1, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Out with the old and in with the new.

Although the new Leon Mercer Jordan East Patrol Campus, 2640 Prospect Ave., opened and moved some of its operations this past November, it officially opened to the public Tuesday, Dec. 1, with a ribbon cutting and tours of the crime lab and police station.

Interested residents were able to get a peak inside the 118,000-square-foot campus named in honor of slain civil rights leader Leon Mercer Jordan. Tours of the station included stops in the weight room, community room, a spacious gymnasium where the festivities were held and a computer lab. Although not officially ready, the crime lab was able to show off rooms that focused of DNA, biology, firearms and digital media. Construction of the crime lab is in its final stages and is expected to open early next year.

The $74 million development — which took about two years to build — was paid for by the city’s quarter-cent public safety sales tax and bond sales. Third District Councilman Jermaine Reed was one of many representing the city to speak at the ribbon cutting. Reed talked about the impact Leon Jordan had on the community, future development in the community because of the new station and the hurdles the city had to overcome to complete this project.

“We’re replacing blight and making changes in this community,” Reed said.