ZACHARY - Despite setbacks in construction, the Zachary Police Department is expanding into a new facility, expecting to open doors January 1st. 

The police department has shared city hall with other agencies for around 37 years, and Mayor David McDavid says the population has doubled since then. 

The new facility sits on Old Slaughter Road with a price tag of eight million dollars.

The department currently employs 42 full-time officers, and the chief says this new building will allow the department to grow even more.

"I can supervise everybody from here, we can train here, I can see everything from right here. It's easier to run a department when you've got everyone in a central area,” said Chief Darryl Lawrence. “We’re hoping here in the near future, once we're fully staffed, we can start some different divisions, traffic divisions that work solely on traffic and wrecks. So we'll start as we grow, developing more divisions."

Lawrence said the old police station not only didn't have room for the growing department, but equipment was also outdated.

The building features an upgraded kitchen, as well as work spaces, classrooms, and evidence room. There will be a training area that will also serve as an emergency operation center, and in the back, a gym for officers.

"We're looking at officer wellness and office fitness, so we are having an area where they can come and work out so they don't have to pay for help club memberships," Lawrence said.

Construction was planned to finish up in October, but Chief Lawrence says small construction setbacks caused delays.