Family and friends of the late Mayor D. Michael Collins gathered Wednesday for a ceremony renaming the city’s northwest district police station in his honor.

The station, 2330 W. Sylvania Ave., reopened in March of 2014 after a push from Mayor Collins. The station closed in 2012 as a budget cut.

Sandy Drabik Collins, widow of Mayor Collins, told the crowd this was the first campaign promise the mayor fulfilled. Alleviating neighbors’ concerns about safety was important to him, said.

“He was a humble man, so this would be a lot for him to take in. But as the family, we want to just thank the city, and the mayor, and City Council,” she said.

Mayor Collins knew from his years as a police officer that certain crime victims need special conditions to speak about what occurred, said Police Chief George Kral.

Victims of domestic violence and sexual assault can detail their cases at this station with more convenience and privacy than can be managed at the downtown Safety Building, Chief Kral said.

“On behalf of the victims of this city, this means more to them than you’ll ever know,” Chief Kral said.

Costs for the station’s new signs were covered by a $2,680 donation from the Toledo Police Patrolman’s Association.

Mrs. Collins is running as an independent to serve the remainder of her husband’s term. In the Nov. 3 special election her opponents include Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson, the endorsed Democratic candidate and former City Council president who became mayor automatically on Feb. 6 when Mr. Collins died following cardiac arrest. Evangelist Opal Covey is running as a Republican.

It was an easy decision to help honor Mayor Collins, who served the city for more than 30 years, said union President Dan Wagner.

“Someone like that should be memorialized in our community,” Mr. Wagner said.

First Published July 2, 2015, 4:00 a.m.