GONZALES, LA (WVLA)--The Gonzales Police Department is getting a new facility.

The police station is currently housed within the 5,000 square foot Gonzales city hall complex. That's almost as big as a small house.

It's so cramped that Police Chief Sherman Jackson says when they book criminals, they can only fit two at a time in one room. And they have to have officers to wait with the criminals while their processing the other ones.

Jackson said this new facility will be over 16,000 square feet, and will enable them to have a more space to hold everything they need to do their jobs safely, efficiently, and effectively.