The cramped quarters of a converted 7-Eleven will no longer be the workspace for Harford County Sheriff's Office staff and deputies covering the southern half of the county, including parts of Bel Air.

The 42,144-square-foot building stands at 1305 Pulaski Highway, which borders both Edgewood and Joppa zip codes. The building cost $7.7 million to build.

"About seven years ago when I was doing tours of all of our facilities so that we could come up with a ten-year capital project plan, I went to that old 7-Eleven and walked through it, and you could barely get through it, and I thought 'this is not good,'" County Executive David Craig said.

Craig said Sheriff L. Jesse Bane and county councilman Dion Guthrie were instrumental in bringing the project together.

Craig joked that the new building, "doesn't have the donut smell that I know many people like."

After groans and chuckles from the crowd, Craig continued in the same humorous vein saying, "I love it too, I'm going to ask them to do a thin picture of me."

Craig said he is glad the project came to fruition because the men and women of the sheriff's office deserve it.

"This is a good day for public safety, for county government and for Harford County, today we are dedicating a building that has been long overdue" Bane said.

Bane went on to say that, "finally we have a facility that meets our demands to provide premier law enforcement services to our citizens and our businesses."

The precinct is Phase 1 of the county's master plan for a southern resources annex. A building to house the health department, department of housing and a food bank is planned for the lot across from the new precinct on the same side of Pulaski Highway.

The proximity of these services is intended to provide "a one-stop shop for the Harford County citizens," Major Dale Stonesifer said.

Stonesifer and Bane also extended special thanks to Captain Dan Galbraith for his hard work on the project and thanks to his family for sacrificing time with him.