LAUREL, DE — The Laurel Police Department has officially moved into a new, larger facility, marking a significant upgrade from its previous station. Funded by $2.3 million in state grant support, the new station is designed to enhance operations, improve officer morale, and foster stronger community ties.
Police Chief Robert Kracyla said the new building represents more than just a physical upgrade—it’s an investment in the future of Laurel and it's police force,
“We’re not even moved in, and I can feel a change in the culture here,” Kracyla said. “I can feel excitement that’s growing. For me as a chief, my biggest job is, let’s do our job, but let’s make our people as happy as we can make them.”
The new facility, which became operational on this week, offers several advancements over the old station, which shared a small building with the town hall, and lacked modern amenities.
The station includes a community room intended for public meetings, reinforcing the department’s goal of fostering greater involvement with residents.
“We want to have a direct involvement with the community,” Kracyla said. “They can use this as an asset for their meetings.”
For officers, quality-of-life improvements aim to boost morale and serve as recruiting tools. The facility houses a fitness center, a spacious break room, and a dedicated patrol room equipped with essential tools like body cameras and radar units.
The building is also designed to enhance crime prevention and safety efforts, featuring an officer training room, a command center for emergency meetings, and space for future mental health services. Updated holding facilities include separate cells for women, men, and children. Keeping adults and juveniles separate by both sight and sound.
Kracyla emphasized the broader significance of the new station,
“It’s something really to be proud of,” he said. “It’s not just some town on the western side of Sussex County that nobody knows about. We want to be something here. That’s what we want this town to be—something to be proud of.”
A grand opening is tentatively planned for late January, giving residents the opportunity to see the state-of-the-art facility.
