TERRELL, Texas — The City of Terrell and the Terrell Police Department broke ground on their new 36,000-square-foot headquarters building on Monday morning, July 13, 2015.
TERRELL, Texas — The City of Terrell and the Terrell Police Department broke ground on their new 36,000-square-foot headquarters building on Monday morning, July 13, 2015.
The two-story police headquarters building will be erected at the corner of State Highway 34 and Rose Street and will consolidate police operations currently being conducted in three separate buildings, Terrell Police Department Chief Jody Lay stated at this morning’s groundbreaking ceremony.
The new headquarters building will house forensics, criminal investigations, a new 30-person jail, a communications/dispatch center, a 100-person capacity training/community room, and space for the municipal judge to conduct arraignments.
37 years ago, the Terrell Police Department employed 26 people; 19 of which were police officers, stated Lay. At the time, the police department was moving into a new 9,200-square foot facility.
“The building was nearly filled to capacity the day they moved in,” Lay stated.
Today, the department now employees 57 people with 38 of them being police officers.
“As our city is, we are growing everyday,” he said. “Our buildings have served us well but its a much different world today with much different expectations.”
“The facility about to be constructed in this very spot will provide a backbone for law enforcement in this community well into the future,” Lay said.
“We expect to be safe and to feel safe in out city,” said Mayor Hal Richards. “We’re providing the tools for the police department to do that. I know its going to make a huge difference.”
Construction on the new headquarters building is expected to take approximately 20 months, Lay stated.