"In the police station" or "at the police station"?

Question

Is it correct to say:

1. I filed a complaint in the police station.

Or

2. I filed a complaint at the police station.

Answer 1

At is the correct choice in this case.

The debates about "at vs in" never cease.

In this case, it would seem, "at" would indicate that the person is at a certain place performing a task, or tasks, characteristic of that place (such as filing a complaint). "In" would indicate that he or she popped into the police station on some business that isn't directly related to police matters.

A century ago folks used to say "I've just arrived at Paris," whereas now they say "I've just arrived in Paris."