COEUR d’ALENE — The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office will conduct most operations out of a newly renovated facility in Hayden, dubbed Kootenai North. 

This week, KCSO’s patrol, detective, records, civil and recreation safety divisions are relocating from 5500 N. Government Way in Coeur d’Alene to a building previously owned by Kootenai Electric Cooperative, located at 2451 W. Dakota Ave. 

“The old Kootenai Electric building gives us an opportunity to not only relocate most, if not all, of our operations under one roof, but to grow in the future within one building,” Undersheriff Brett Nelson said Wednesday. 

The county agreed to purchase the old Kootenai Electric building in 2020. Since then, the sheriff’s office has remodeled the facility to suit its needs, adding several new offices, a women’s locker room and other improvements.

Kootenai County Director of Facilities Jeff Voeller confirmed that the renovations cost about $1.5 million in total. 

Nelson said moving into the larger facility enables the sheriff’s office to store all outdoor equipment in an indoor, heated space, rather than spending additional funds to winterize the equipment and store it elsewhere. KCSO’s marine team began operating out of Kootenai North in the spring. 

Nelson said the move won’t cause any interruption to KCSO’s services. 

“There will be no break in operation,” he said. 

Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris will maintain an office in the Government Way facility, and some employees will remain at the site to conduct business for the civil and records divisions. The remaining administrative offices in the original building will be occupied by jail staff. 

“The relocation will not hamper but will instead better our ability to serve the community,” Nelson said. “This move allows us to grow as an organization without having to look for other locations to expand.”