By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

Harpersville—The Harpersville Police Department is getting a new home. The department will be moving from its current space at Town Hall to the former Harpersville Medical Clinic building.

The Harpersville Town Council approved the move during an April 4 meeting.

The medical clinic building has been vacant for around nine months, Harpersville Mayor Theoangelo Perkins said.

“It’s going to give (the Police Department) some more room, and they need it,” Perkins said. “They have several people that share that room (at Town Hall), and it’s just crowded.”

The former medical clinic building in front of Town Hall will be more accessible to the public than the department’s current location, something very important to Police Chief Jimmy Macon. Being available to the community and serving the community are the department’s top priorities, Macon said.

“That’s my No. 1 goal,” Macon said. “In a small town…the chief needs to be out in the community.”

In addition to a better location, the 4,000-square-foot building will give officers more space and a larger evidence room, better positioning the department to serve the growing town.

“We know it’s coming,” Macon said of future growth in Harpersville.

The town isn’t the only thing that’s growing. The police force has grown too. Since Macon’s arrival in Harpersville one year ago, the force has grown to include five full-time officers, one part-time officer and 10 reserve officers.

“When you do things right and build things, people will come,” Macon said, adding the town has been welcoming and supportive to him and the force. “They have opened their arms up to me and they are very receptive.”

The former medical clinic building will be renovated and ready for the Police Department to move in June 1, Perkins said.

“Sometimes you just have to repurpose things,” Perkins said.