CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (CLARKSVILLENOW.COM) – The closing of the New Providence Community Policing Center this month has caused a disruption to local non-profit groups and deprives the area of valuable police presence.

The center, located at 640 Providence Blvd., was opened in 2011 through a federal crime-reduction grant that expired in 2014. Recognizing the value of the center, the city continued to fund the operation for another two years beyond that.

The center provided support for residents seeking employment, office space to the local chapter of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), and a meeting place for Clarksville Crime Stoppers.

Police officers and local businesses also worked together to provide bicycles to visitors to the center who were in need of transportation.

Below are archive images from past events and activities at the policing center.

The center was considered a valuable asset to the Clarksville Police Department and Chief Al Ansley told Clarksvillenow.com he regrets that the center had to close.

“It was a very good thing for the city and that’s why the city decided to keep it open,” he said. “It’s cost the city over the last two years $160,000 to keep it open.”

This expense included two part-time positions, the lease and utilities.

Ansley also planned to develop a community relations unit that would operate out of the policing center, but that plan has been put on hold.

“During the budget process, we were mandated to cut our budgets two percent. For us that’s well over $500,000 and we prioritized things that this department needed and decided we could no longer support this center,” he said.

The closing of center did not present any difficulty for Crime Stoppers, which has relocated board meetings to Clarksville Police headquarters. However, the closing has left the local DAV without an office.

The DAV helps veterans access benefits such as healthcare, disability and pensions.

Becky Smith, Commander of the Disabled American Vets Chapter 45 in Clarksville, said she is now improvising until suitable office space is made available.

“I really don’t know what they are going to do with that building,” she told Clarksvillenow.com. “It was right in the New Providence area and I can’t tell you how important that location was to what we are doing.”

The location near Peachers Mill Rd. is right along the CTS bus route and in an area where there are many homeless residents.

Smith, a 20-year army veteran, said assisting fellow veterans through the DAV has been the most rewarding work she’s ever done.

“We had homeless people that were living under a bridge and we were able to help get them a pension or increase their disability benefits,” she said.

Smith said their three chapter service officers need space that provides privacy to discuss sensitive medical and mental health issues, a copy machine, and fax and if possible a computer.

“The ability to make copies for veterans is vital so they have a copy of all documents for their records,” she said.

State Representative Joe Pitts said he will be reaching out to churches in the area on behalf of DAV.

“It’s key that we maintain a presence in the New Providence area to serve that community who often don’t have access to transportation or the means to pay bus across town,” he said.

Pitts said he’s confident someone will step forward and provide them an opportunity to co-locate in a building in New Providence.

Anyone who can help should contact Commander Becky Smith of the Disabled American Vets Chapter 45 at (931) 302-2794 or email retired2rv@aol.com