FELLSMERE — The City of Fellsmere was on full display Saturday with a special addition to the regular Fellsmere Farmer’s Market and Mercado. The Fellsmere Police Department and the City Hall next door opened up and invited the public in.
“It’s so much nicer,” said Doris Lee, who was among the first to walk into the newly refurbished police station. Lee, who works in the City’s finance department, had visited the police department on previous occasions but hadn’t stopped by until Saturday.
“It’s so clean and smells better,” she said. “It’s about time” the city redid the floors and painted.
Visiting the station with Lee were Gail Carrasco and Emma Howard.
“Where do you lock ‘em up?” Carrasco asked Sgt. Carlos Acevedo, who was leading the tour.
“The county jail,” Sgt. Acevedo replied, explaining that the Fellsmere Police Department does not have a holding cell or its own jail for arrestees.
Instead, officers take those who have been arrested directly to the Indian River County jail.
After the tour, Carrasco said she was a bit surprised to find out that the Fellsmere officers have to make the drive to the county jail however frequently.
More improvements are planned for the department, including new furniture and changing the layout of the main officers’ office, which doubles as a break room.
“There’s a big difference,” Sgt. Acevedo said of the changes to the department. “It’s really nice.”
Along with the open house at the police station, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office brought out its K-9 officers for a demonstration and its new MRAP SWAT vehicle, freshly painted black with dark green lettering and decals.
“We saw it coming down the road and I could not stop staring,” said 12-year-old Andrew Gallegos.
He was at the Fellsmere Farmer’s Market and Mercado with his mom, who was running the Crafty Creations booth, selling jams.
He met up with friends Cole Vanwick, 9, and James Peppers, 13, who all had to check out the SWAT vehicle.
“I want to ride in it,” Vanwick said.
“Who wouldn’t?” replied Gallegos.
Also turning a few heads was the new Fellsmere police cruiser, a Chevrolet Caprice.
“I test drove it,” Ofc. Larry Lawson said of the cruiser. “I like it. It’s very stable.”
The Caprice will eventually replace the existing fleet of Ford Crown Victoria LTDs.
Sgt. Scott Newsom was next in line for a new cruiser and is the one assigned the Caprice, though other officers have had a chance to check it out.
“He’s become very proprietary,” Ofc. Lawson said of Sgt. Newsom. “It’s his baby.”
Fellsmere City Councilwoman Jessica Salgado came out to the market and planned to tour the station.
“I came out for everything,” Salgado said of the K-9 demonstration, the SWAT vehicle, and the open house.
“It looks awesome,” she said of the new police cruiser. “I wish I could drive that car!”
Next door, at the Old Fellsmere School, Vice Mayor Joel Tyson and Fellsmere historian Clarence “Korky” Korker held court, providing tours and sharing Fellsmere tales with those who went inside to investigate.
On the grounds of the City Hall complex, numerous vendors lined up selling jams and jellies, ducks and chicks, plants, honey, and other items.
Organizer and Fellsmere City Councilwoman Sara Savage said she was happy to be able to showcase the city during the Farmer’s Market and Mercado.
“Overall, I’m happy” with how the market has been progressing. “It’s growing.”
The market is held on the second, fourth, and fifth (when applicable) Saturdays of the month from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Fellsmere City Hall complex located on County Road 512 at S. Orange Street.