Ground broken on new Sheriff's Office complex in Slidell

St. Tammany News

Ground was broken Friday on the new headquarters for the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office on Brownswitch Road in Slidell.

"This is the first government building of this size that has ever been built on this end of the parish," said Sheriff Jack Strain Jr. "It's something that's been long overdue for both the citizens and our employees."

Strain's office purchased the site of the former Live Oak Driving Range in 2006, after Hurricane Katrina added water and wind damage to the already overcrowded and outdated Production Road location.

Training operations, which will remain in Pearl River.

Strain sees a bright future for the new building.

"There are tremendous expansion possibilities here," he said.

"I'd like to explore the idea of a comprehensive law enforcement center, with offices for local, state, and federal agencies as well."

Richard C. Lambert Consultants, LLC, designed the 40,000-square-foot complex and GM&R Contracting of Waveland, Miss., will handle the construction.

The building is expected to be complete by December 2008.