CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) – Carmel Police officers now have more space to do their work. The city hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday for an expansion of its current police department building on Range Line Road.

City officials say the project nearly triples the building, allowing for more space for the nearly 150 officers of CPD. The project also moves the city court and the clerk’s office, along with the programs they run, into the building.

When the original police headquarters opened in the 1990s, Carmel was a city of about 25,000 people. Now the city’s population is over 100,000.

In need of a facility better suited for the city’s growing population, city leaders broke ground on the headquarters expansion in August 2022. It was funded by $38 million in bonds.

Police Chief Drake Sterling says the additional space will allow them to continue improving how they serve the community.

“With that growth comes the need for growth within public safety,” Sterling said. “It’s an investment not only in public safety but also in the community. We’re very prideful of having a safe community and this police department represents that.”

Additions to the police facilities include additional offices for different divisions, a new break room and a garage space for specialized vehicles.

The expansion also allows for the department’s patrol and investigations divisions to be under the same roof. Previously, investigation crews were in a satellite location.

“They need to have seamless collaboration and we didn’t have that in the past,” Sterling said. “It just created barriers, and so now, having both those under the same roof again, it just helps so much. It makes everything work smoother and work better.”

The headquarters now includes a training room, an upgraded gym, and a physical therapy room.

Chief Sterling says these spaces also allow the department to better serve its officers.

“We are here trying to focus on wellness,” Sterling said. “We talk about physical, emotional and mental wellness — this obviously addresses all of those. The stress relief that comes with working out and as well as the health benefits. So this space is really important for our people.”