Video courtesy Hawaii County Police | Voice of Stephanie Salazar

The public was invited to the grand opening celebration at the new Pahoa police station on Thursday.

The new station replaces a converted kit house in Pahoa town that functions as a police substation.

Officials believe the new station will provide a stronger police presence for lower Puna, which generates the vast majority of calls for police assistance in the Puna District. The location along Highway 130 will should also provide quicker response times in an emergency to most subdivisions in the area.

Citizens are already able to renew their driver’s licenses and register their vehicles in a portion of the new building operated by the County Department of Finance. In the near future, they will be able to register firearms at the location.