Franklin Police Department unveils new building, a night and day difference

FRANKLIN, Ky. – It’s a whole new look for the Franklin Police Department and it will make a big difference in the community after everything is fully fleshed out.

It’s a 24,000 square foot facility sitting on six different plots of land acquired by the city over the past six years to make a community campus, not just a police department. Eventually, there will be a pavilion, playground, walking trail and basketball court to make it a location where not only police operate but the community can have fun.

City officials said today ahead of a media tour that they wanted the community to be at the center of the new building and were thinking about ways to make it inviting to the community. Kenton Powell, city manager for Franklin said “I might not live to see it but I would hope that kids that are playing out there one day grow up and want to be a police officer because of the interactions they had on this campus”.

As the department has doubled in size, the new building was constructed with the future in mind, offering enough space for more officers to get hired on in the coming years. There are many rooms and lounge spaces in the department which is a stark contrast to the original department.

Powell also said during the presser that he personally would like to see official meetings held outside at the pavilion once constructed, Powell reminded everyone today that some 200 years ago, the city would conduct official and public business outside which allowed the citizenry to see their government in action. Powell said he would hope if that were to happen, children and others passing by get curious and decide to get involved more in the community.