Future home of Madera County Sheriff's Office under construction

MADERA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Madera County Sheriff's Office employees can't wait to move into their new headquarters. Construction is underway on a building that will house the entire office near Yeager and Falcon drives, just off Highway 99.

Friday, local leaders and law enforcement gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony.

"We'll be able to bring all our functions under one roof for the first time in the county's history. It will be the most technologically advanced law enforcement headquarters in the Central Valley once it's done," said Madera County Undersheriff Michael Salvador.

The 25,000-square-foot building will provide an office space for employees such as dispatchers and deputies. It will also have state-of-the-art technology. Currently, the office is working in several different spaces that were built in the 1940s.

"Communications will improve drastically. It will be more efficient, more cost savings. Plus the fact that we're in a building that's 70 years old. I think people will take some pride in where they work," said Madera County Sheriff John Anderson.

The Madera County supervisors say the $9 million building was paid for by grants and not from the general fund. It's just the latest project to improve buildings.

"Madera is a very old county and a lot has not paid attention to our buildings. And just like the new government center that we have downtown, we're trying to put everybody back together again," said Supervisor Rick Farinelli.

Leaders say this building will be another tool to help law enforcement in their fight against crime in the new age. The new sheriff's office headquarters are expected to be completed by April 2015.