Take a tour through the Port Washington Police District headquarters and one thing becomes obvious fairly quickly – space is tight.

For example, two or more desks are crammed into offices meant to accommodate one. And often, these offices also double as storage space, with cartons stacked high.

"We make it work," said Assistant Chief James Salerno more than once as he led tours on Monday evening. But he also pointed out, again, more than once, that there are times when officers, detectives, civilians on staff and others must leave their space when their officemate is conducting a confidential investigation or meeting. Even the chief of police – who shares office space with the commissioners – from time to time must relocate when the commissioners conduct business.

About 55 people attended the tours on Nov. 20 and Monday, Salerno said. The tours come at a time when the Port Washington Police commissioners are looking to build a new 20,000 to 25,000 square foot headquarters in Port Washington North. In October, the district signed a contract of sale for $2.5 million to purchase 4.75 acres of land on Channel Drive in Port Washington North, from Publishers Clearing House.

Not everyone supports the plan, but residents are asked to attend a public meeting to learn more, and state their opinions regarding the proposed new headquarters, at Schreiber High School Auditorium on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Much about the current facility, which stands about 9,480 square feet and accommodates 62 sworn officers and approximately 20 civilians, is antiquated. The one women's-only bathroom, for instance, is on the same floor and just down the hall from where prisoners are processed. The front desk and dispatch areas are in tight quarters, where different activities must compete with multiple conversations, incoming fire department and counter-terrorism notifications, and the sound of printers running. In this environment, it can become challenging to clearly hear what a caller is saying, particularly if he or she is whispering while feeling threatened or under duress.

Recently, five officers were moved back into the main building from office space created out of the headquarters garage so as not to violate the Public Employee Safety & Health code. Now the primary facility is even more crowded. And because of space issues, Detective Anthony Guzzello doesn't have an office in the building.

On a Monday evening tour, one man asked about possibly creating more space by stowing some of the cartons in a nearby storage facility. But Salerno pointed out that security would be a problem, as would the lack of immediate access to the files. Besides, he said, moving out boxes would not solve the need for more office space. Asked about the ability to respond to an incident at the high school from Port North, Salerno said patrol cars would respond from that designated sector ­– not headquarters.

Even though the scheduled tours have ended, Salerno said residents can still call him at 883-0500, extension 309, for a walk-through, up until Thursday.

Said Salerno: "The majority of people who took the tour left with a different opinion after they viewed the working conditions."