Florence Police Chief Anson Shells says communications problems have forced them to move the South Region substation to downtown Florence.

Currently, the substation is located in a shopping plaza on South Irby Street.

In March, the substation will share a space with the department's Community Action Team (CAT) in a building at the intersection of Dargan and West Evans Streets.

"I don't want anybody to feel that they're being abandoned simply because we're moving the substation. The fact of the matter is that you know communication is more of a priority that location," said Shells.

The substation has been in the South Florence area for nearly 10 years.

Shell says officers in that region were having communications problems with their counterparts in the North Region substation on Athens Street.

"We hate to move it. However, one of the chief complaints we've gotten over the years from our patrol officers is that they've not been able to communicate with each other very well on a day to day basis. We've always wanted address that problem."

The move will allow officers in both regions to meet everyday to discuss important administrative and operational matters.

"Our North Region patrol officers will come down on a daily basis and have squad meeting with the officers from South Region. So that would eliminate a communications problem between the two regions."

Chief Shells says the move won't have any impact on police patrols in South Florence.

"Nothing will change. Our officers will still be assigned to their districts in the South Region. There will not be a lessening of officer visibility in the South Region at all."

He adds in the future they will look into renting spaces in South Florence for officers to use as work stations as a base of operations throughout the day.