The Douglas Police Department is housed in the former and historical El Paso and Southwestern Railroad Depot. It was built in 1913 as a passenger depot for the railroad.  At the time of construction the building was the pride of the Douglas community.

During World War I, as many as eight passenger trains arrived each day.  The trains were dubbed with colorful names such as Southwestern Flyer, Drummer's Special, Golden State Limited, Sunset Limited, and the Argonaut.

In 1924, the El Paso and Southwestern became part of the Southern Pacific railroad system.

The station was especially busy during World War II due to the large number of  troop trains that passed through.  The local USO and other volunteers passed out food and magazines to the troops bound for training and war.

Following World War II, the increased use of the automobile as the primary means of transportation brought about the end of passenger service to and through Douglas.  Demand for freight service also declined over the years.  In 1961, the tracks that had been laid running east to El Paso were abandoned.

Southern Pacific sold the building to the City of Douglas in 1985 but continued to maintain offices in the depot until 1987.  A U.S. Naval Reserve unit occupied a portion of the building during this same period.  In spite of this, the building was allowed to fall into a state of disrepair suffering vandalism and extensive water damage.  A number of proposals for the renovation and use of the building failed to materialize.

In 1991, the Douglas Mayor and Council approved a plan that called for using "asset sharing" money, funds that have been seized under state and federal racketeering statutes and forfeited for law enforcement use, to renovate the depot in order to house the Douglas Police Department.  

The renovation retained the central rotunda's 1913 appearance while providing a modern state-of-the-art police facility.
 

Contact Us:
300 East 14th Street
Douglas, AZ 85607-1694
(520) 364-8422