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After outgrowing the old Sheriff’s Department Offices, the Jessamine County Sheriff’s Department held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new building on Main Street in the building formerly used by Wes Banco. 

201 N Main Street is a three-story building purchased several years ago by the Jessamine County Fiscal Court for $550,000. Judge-Executive David West said Wes Banco gave the county a discount off the market value of the location with the stipulation that it could be sold to a rival bank.

After purchasing the building, West said the county put in about $300,000 in improvements to bring the building up to date including replacing the HVAC system. 

“I hope it serves us for quite a while,” West said. There will also be additional parking behind the Sheriff’s department, to which West said excitedly, “more downtown parking!”

Sheriff Kevin Grimes said his deputies also helped the county save about $50,000 since they wanted to invest in the building. “A lot of the paint was done by us, a lot of the drywall upstairs, we had guys doing electrical work who were qualified electricians. You name it, our guys stepped up and did it. There’s so many who helped. Thanks to everybody,” he said. 

The first floor of the new building was packed for the ribbon cutting and subsequent tours around the building. Almost all of the Jessamine County Magistrates and Deputy Judge Executive Justin Ray were in attendance, in addition to Fiscal Court employees like their treasurer Ann Cissell. Senator Donald Douglass and Representative Matt Lockett also attended, visiting from Frankfort. Wilmore Mayor Harold Rainwater and Nicholasville Mayor Alex Carter also attended. 

“We want to thank Wes bank for offering this building to us to expand our services. I want to thank my staff, and the members of the Fiscal Court who supported this effort. I want to thank the sheriff’s deputy and their staff, they put a lot of sweat equity into this. I want to thank the maintenance crew and everybody who made this building possible. This office will serve every household in Jessamine County. Not only for law enforcement but vehicle inspections as the chief tax collection officer for numerous taxing entities. It’s our hope that this location provides the needed space for the sheriff’s office to build upon the excellent record they have, and to let them have the ability to expand and use innovative methods to serve and continue to serve everybody in Jessamine county,” West said. 

The new Sheriff’s department has a large first floor with a few offices, a front desk, and a drive-thru for those dropping off payments for their taxes, so folks don’t have to worry about getting out of their cars in bad weather. 

The second floor has more offices, interview rooms, and a large control room used for staff meetings but also public events– like the duties of the sheriff class that Lieutenant Anthony Purcell hosts.

The third floor is for evidence only, and only one employee in charge of evidence goes up there. 

“This is an incredible opportunity for us as Judge West said. This is more than just a building for the sheriff’s deputies and for us to operate but it is for our community. We’ve already seen the benefits of the drive thru with the tax collection and some folks not having to go outside and just go through the drive thru. Did I two years ago think I would ever be here? No. We had a building, we were making due, it was gonna work, and I never complained about the building and said, when it comes, it happens. And here we are today. Special thanks to several of the deputies,” Grimes said. 

Chamber of Commerce director Ronda May was in attendance with her team, and she initiated the ribbon cutting ceremony.