Police brass and city officials turned out in force yesterday for the official reopening of the old Zone 4 police station in the West End, which closed in 2003 despite protests from the community.

The refurbished station on South Main Street, where the Special Deployment Division has made its home since June, is now the official headquarters for that unit.

The building will house the division's various squads -- the motorcycle, street response, bike, collision investigation, truck safety and Intoxilyzer units.

Prior to cutting the ribbon, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said an increased police presence in the West End, which is covered by the South Side station, was important for the community.

"We realized this was an issue that needed to be addressed," he said.

Former City Councilman Alan Hertzberger, a member of the West Pittsburgh Partnership who fought to keep the old zone station open, said the high visibility of the specialized units will give citizens and businesses more peace of mind and make criminals think twice.

Zone 4 closed in August 2003 during layoffs of police officers and a reorganization of the zone stations. Officers from the station were combined with those in Zone 3.