If you have driven down Hwy 167 south by Walmart over the last several days you have noticed that the former Ivan Smith Furniture store building is going through a major modification. That is because work is being done to remodel the building to house the Jackson Parish Sheriff’s office, which has outgrown their current Courthouse location. According to JP Sheriff Andy Brown the hopes are that the move will be completed by July. 

“That is our target date as of now,” said Brown. “Hopefully everything will stay on schedule.”

The move is part of an ongoing facility changes being made that is designed to benefit the residents of Jackson Parish by making governmental departments more accessible. It began with the Jackson Parish Police Jury moving their administrative offices out of their second floor Courthouse location a few months back. Now the Sheriff’s Office will vacate the first floor of the Courthouse which once the move is completed will start to house other governmental departments that are currently located in various parts of Jonesboro. 

“We are looking forward to moving into the new building as there are a tremendous amount of benefits to the move not only to the Sheriff’s Department but to our residents as well,” continued Brown. “The new location will allow our different department areas to be housed in one location instead of being scattered about like we are now. It also gives us better visibility and allow us to be much more accessible.”