Sheriff’s Department Expansion Ready to Break Ground
Preparing for the Future Sheriff’s Department
The town of Oxford has witnessed a flurry of activity as site-plan preparations have been commenced on a significant new addition. This addition is a future extension to the existing Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department building located on E. Jackson Avenue. With the changing landscape becoming apparent, trees have been cleared out and construction fences have risen in the location where this promising three-story edifice is projected to arise.
Greater Space and Enhanced Facilities
In the face of thirty years of continuous service, the present facility no longer sufficiently addresses the combined needs of the sheriff’s department and the detention center. This pressing necessity has instigated the construction of the new facility which is designed to accommodate the sheriff’s department and the dispatch office. This arrangement will subsequently facilitate vital renovations to the existing detention center without impeding their functioning.
Functional and Organizational Improvisations
This new construct will be annexed to the current one. The ground floor will be dedicated to housing evidence, especially with a refrigerated zone designed to preserve blood and similar perishable pieces of evidence. Moreover, it will also accommodate the dispatch 911 call center and new locker rooms for the deputies. The administration will occupy one side of the second level which also serves as the ground level, while the patrol zone will be situated on the other side. The crowning third level is assigned to serve as a training facility along with the investigation department.
The Sheriff’s Words
According to Sheriff Joey East, the estimated timeline for the construction to be completed ranges between 18 and 24 months. On the completion of the building, renovation of the existing jail premises will kickstart. Sheriff East pointed out the pressing requirements, such as more observation cells and most notably an upgrade of the women’s facility that currently only harbors ten people and is invariably occupied. Additional areas demanding attention are the refurbishment of locking mechanisms in the existing cells and a comprehensive upgrade of the facility’s plumbing.
Fundings and Future Plans
“The biggest issues we have is air conditioning and plumbing,” Sheriff East stated. He elaborated on the persisting problems with outdated plumbing fixtures in 30-year-old jails that need intermittent replacements — a current practice in the facility.
These ambitious renovation plans are sustained by a $20-million bond sanctioned by the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors last May. In addition to supporting the sheriff’s department renovation project, the fund will also contribute to the second stage of the West Oxford Loop extension. This extended loop will provide a convenient connection between College Hill Road and Industrial Park Road.
Looking Towards a Bright Future
The citizens of Oxford can now look forward to a more efficient and maleable Sheriff’s Department that is better equipped to serve their needs. In the meantime, the anticipation builds as the groundbreaking of this expansion project is eagerly awaited.
