City Breaks Ground For New Cookeville Police Department

The official groundbreaking for Cookeville’s new police department took place Friday morning

Cookeville police and city officials gathered with shovels in hand on the corner of Neal Street and South Maple Avenue to celebrate. Police Chief Randy Evans said the seven years of planning finally paid off.

“It has been a long time coming,” Evans said. “It has been a labor of love for members of the department. We have gotten a lot of support from the community and the city and city departments. It is a wonderful day.”

Mayor Ricky Shelton and City Manager James Mills joined the breaking ground event. Evans said the new $13 million dollar facility would not be possible without Cookeville’s support.

“You just look around the country and that speaks for itself,” Evans said. “Our community speaks for itself by the ways they treat and support us everyday. I can not think of any other place in the country that is as fortunate as us.”

The police department has been housed under the Cookeville Performing Arts Center for more than four decades. Evans said the new space will allow the department to grow and better serve the community.

“It gives us the opportunity to grow and also gives us a facility that is modern,” Evans said. “Currently, we are in an inadequate facility. It gives us an opportunity to do a lot of things that we have not been able to do. We even have officers housed in other cities.”