Gwinnett commissioners recently approved a $6.2 million contract for an addition to the police training center at 854 Winder Highway in Lawrenceville. Hogan Construction Group, LLC, of Norcross was the lowest of five bidders for the project.

The expansion will include a two-story addition with offices, training rooms, and a multipurpose room with a physical ability course that meets Peace Officer Standards and Training Council requirements.

“Our department has grown by 13 percent since our existing training facility opened in 2007, and we are now running two much larger academy classes simultaneously most of the year to train both police officers and sheriff’s deputies,” said Gwinnett Police Chief Brett West. “This much-needed expansion will allow us to continue to meet training standards and serve the community efficiently with well-trained officers as well as provide space for us to offer for more advanced certification classes for officers to hone their skills and advance within the department.”

The Gwinnett County Police Department is the second largest police agency in Georgia with an authorized strength of 905 sworn officers serving a population of more than 800,000 residents across 437 square miles.