Police in Colorado town of Fairplay eye bigger office space thanks to grant money

The Fairplay Police Department said it has outgrown the small basement space it currently uses inside Fairplay Town Hall, and leaders hope new funding will help build a proper station.

Sgt. Ronald Martinez Jr. took CBS Colorado on a very short tour through the station, which consisted of an office space with cramped chairs and desks, a bathroom, two closets (both full) and a separate office room. Martinez explained that the department has had as many as nine officers working there at once, which has created daily challenges.

"It's kind of a family, but as families go, when you pack into a tight space, it can be a little rough," Martinez said, laughing.

Space for evidence is already limited.

"It's getting tight. I can tell you that," Martinez said, adding some items have had to be temporarily stored outside because there is not enough room.

The department also lacks a private space to interview crime victims, and occasionally folks who are looking for help finding what they need at town halls barge in or knock on doors while they're in the middle of sensitive situations.

"We've had these cases in Fairplay, with children who are victims of sexual assault ... you know, this is a traumatizing, very difficult circumstance," Martinez said.

Good news seems to be on the horizon for the condensed police force in the small mountain community.

Fairplay recently secured about $1.2 million through a grant supported by Colorado's U.S. senators to help fund a new police station. It's not enough to fully fund their new home, but it's a significant step towards getting out of the cramped  basement.

If additional funding comes together, officials hope the new station could be operating within about two years, with Martinez specifically looking forward to a garage to get their patrol cars out from the open in a public parking lot.