By ALIN HETT
Hays Post
The Hays Police Department is preparing to move into a new Law Enforcement Center this fall, marking the end of almost 50 years in the current building, which it shares with the Ellis County Sheriff's Office.
Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said the department moved into the building in 1976 with just 29 employees. Since then, both the police department and sheriff's office have more than doubled in size, but both agencies have continued operating from the same facility despite several remodels over the years.
"We were literally fighting over closet space," Scheibler said with a smile. "It was just time."
The sheriff's office, jail, and dispatch center will remain in the current Law Enforcement Center, while the Hays Police Department moves into the renovated building.
Scheibler said the new facility is not about flashy upgrades, but about giving the department dedicated space to better serve the community.
Officers and supervisors who once shared offices will now have individual workspaces. The building also includes dedicated conference rooms, a roll call room, a major case room, a courtroom, evidence storage, an armory and private rooms for officers who need to testify remotely.
The department will also add several technology improvements. Information Technology Director for the city of Hays, Chad Ruder, said the new building will feature a dedicated security camera system owned and managed by the police department rather than relying on the county's system.
The department will also increase interview rooms from one to three with purpose-built recording systems capable of streaming interviews to other areas of the building.
Ruder said many of the changes are designed to eliminate the need for rooms to serve multiple purposes, allowing officers to work more efficiently while giving the department room for future growth.
The new Law Enforcement Center is just more than 20,000 square feet, with about 10,000 square feet on each floor. Construction is expected to wrap up in late September or early October, with the department planning to complete the move by Early November.
Scheibler said the project represents an investment in public safety while remaining fiscally responsible.
"This is a tremendous investment by the city and the community, but it is for the public safety of this community," Scheibler said.
"We were fiscally responsible. We stayed on budget, saved the community a significant amount of money by renovating this building and made sure we have the things in place to protect the community for years to come."