Inviting a prison into the community is not a happy thought. Why would we ever want to house thousands of alleged criminals facing long stays during slow-moving and backlogged court proceedings?

The city has taken on so many initiatives to boost its image. More money is going toward school activities. Artwork is expected to help beautify our subway station. Roads are being redone and rezoning is preparing for a better city in the future. So how does building a new prison fit into all this?

Well, here’s the thing. Right now, the Somerville police building may or may not be a jeopardizing the health of police personnel. Some people will swear it is a sick building. Other people say that is yet to be proven. With a pending suit filed against the city, it is up to the courts. At the same time no one seems to argue that the police headquarters is dated and needs some work, maybe a new location altogether.

So somewhere along the way the idea of asking the state to pick up the tab for a new public safety center came into play. You want a jail, we want a police station, deal or no deal?

The jail that the Middlesex County sheriff’s office is envisioning for Somerville is expected to cost $135 million. So what is another $30 million on top of that for a police station?

Middlesex Sheriff James V. DiPaola gives his O.K. to combining the project, and Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone has even recommended a few sites.

Yet the mayor says this issue is backburner. Deciding to let a jail in the city is contingent upon a police station coming with it. However, no one has promised funding, and Curtatone still doesn’t know if it is a sweet enough deal for his city. There is nothing sweet about having a jail in town.

State Rep. Carl Sciortino says funding would be better spent on initiatives to combat crime rather than to build a place to house its spawns. He opposes seeing Somerville gain a jail no matter how sugarcoated of a deal is offered in the end.

Even if this issue is not one of the mayor’s top priorities, residents should start to think if this has any real benefit, if this is something they want in the city.

Watch out or soon there could be a new catch phrase hitting the streets. Don’t get caught or they’ll send you to Somerville.