Rockland -
"It's just, over time, we've all grown a little bit and gained more personnel. So it was just getting crammed," said Chief Deputy Tim Carroll.
After 25 years, there's a new sheriff's office in town. No longer will the Knox County Sheriff's patrol division, dispatch center, and emergency management agency cram into the county prison for office space.
"We really needed the space, and I think when the public came in to look, and they saw that we did,” said Sheriff Donna Dennison.
The reaction was far different Tuesday night at an open house for the new Knox County Public Safety building in Rockland.
"Obviously its brand new, it's bright, shiny, it’s just a real good feeling when they come in.
Voters approved a bond in 2011 that allocated $2.5 million to purchase the land and develop the new building, adjacent to their original location. Deputies say the new facility will help them better serve the community.
"We've had to deal with some homicides in the last few years. Now we have two excellent rooms that we can get together with other agencies and conference. We also have a couple of nice interview rooms. We have a polygraph operator here to help us. It's just going to make all the difference in the world."
Sherriff Dennison gave us a tour of the building.
"This is the locker where people at night on the other side they can lock their evidence in."
With the tools they have now, she feels they're better equipped to bring criminals to justice.
"Oh if you're taking stuff from a crime scene you might want to test it for DNA"
Staffers are slowly but surely moving in, and glad to have the extra elbow room.