New headquarters in the works for Opelika Police Department

OPELIKA, AL (WSFA) - The Opelika Police Department is getting ready for a change in scenery.

The new headquarters for the Opelika Police Department is still in the early stages and officials say that the planning period could take up to eight months.

The first floor of the current building was built in 1967 and the second floor was added 10 years later. Officials say that they are bursting at the seams and desperately need a new building. Opelika police chief, John McEachern, says that a better working environment for police also benefits the citizens.

"It will impact the citizens in, a good working environment for the police officers to include the detectives and everyone else.  It's a spatial need. We're definitely growing. I think a new working environment will be very advantageous to the officers. I mean new digs I think they'll be glad to have such," said McEachern.

Officials say that the goal is to have the new headquarters in the building's current location on the rear side. Once construction is complete, officials want to turn the current building into a parking lot.

Jail cells won't be part of the blueprint. Anyone taken into custody in the Opelika area is taken to the Lee County Sheriffs Office.

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