Over the weekend, the public got a chance to take a look inside the newly completed Monroe County Justice Center.
The government building houses the sheriff's office, county jail, court system and court clerks. Not all offices have moved inside the building yet.
The completion of the justice center has been years in the making. Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones said talk started in 2008 after the state put the county jail on an action plan.
Since then, community members have slowly watched the lot at 4500 New Highway 68 turn from a patch of dirt to a much needed county space.
The building has top-of-the-line equipment, like kiosks with screens in the jail's visitation room, to increase efficiency and keep the public safer.
"Currently, we walk them up and down the street to court. We put them in a car to transport them. It depends on how far they have to go. Anytime an inmate leaves a secure area and goes into the public, people are in danger. They're in danger," he said.
Sheriff Jones said he is unable to give a final number on how much the whole project cost, but estimates the county came out roughly $1.4 million under their original $31 million budget. He said the extra money was put back into the county general fund.
Courts start session on Monday, Jan. 13. Sheriff Jones said there's no official date for when the sheriff's office will move in and inmates will be transported over.