The San Diego Police Department Southern Division temporarily closed its doors Tuesday due to a potential mold issue.
The station was closed as a precaution while officials assessed the situation and determined whether further action was needed.
“The department is taking this proactive measure to protect the health and well-being of its employees and community members,” the station said in a statement.
Details about the assessment’s completion were not immediately available as city officials and SDPD continued evaluating the situation.
The closure means walk-in services will be temporarily unavailable.
Brianna Estrada is among the people on Tuesday that NBC 7 saw trying to get help at the station that serves areas like Nestor and Otay Mesa West, only to find a sign out front reading: “DO NOT ENTER. Due to potential health hazard risks.”
Estrada decided to handle her missing persons case in person at the station after she said her phone efforts were futile.
Southern Division police services will continue, with employees temporarily operating out of the Southeastern Division, responding to calls for service as usual.
Police advised the public to visit other police stations nearby while walk-in services at the Southern Division remain temporarily unavailable.
Anyone with an immediate emergency was urged to call 911.
All non-emergency calls should be made to 619-531-2000. Tipsters can also report information online at sandiego.gov/police.
Mold issues plaguing San Diego County
The Southern Division station is just the latest public building across San Diego County dealing with mold issues.
Spores were found this summer at Del Sur Elementary and Black Mountain Middle School in the Poway Unified School District, and the students attending the Monarch School in Barrio Logan in August were moved to temporary campuses after mold was detected.
Dr. Richard Clark is the Director of Toxicology at UC San Diego. NBC 7 asked him our recent stretch of hot and humid weather created the perfect conditions for mold.
“Most houses that get affected or buildings get affected have some sort of leak or plumbing issue or something that causes moisture to accumulate. Recently, with the elevated temperatures and the elevated humidity, it could be a perfect situation to grow some mold,” Clark said.
In Otay Mesa as trash piles up on a car that neighbors said park on their street for weeks at a time, neighbors said they are worried about where they’re going to go to report it.
“That [the car] really bothers me, OK, because you don’t know who they are. you don’t know what they’re doing,” resident Barbara Hahn said.
In addition to her safety, Hahn said she is also worried for the safety of the officers who have been working in the potentially mold-infested station.
“I think that it should be taken care of immediately. You don’t want them getting sick. I mean, they are first-line defenders when it comes to our public safety. So they should be a priority,” Hahn said.