Kier Southern and Hampshire Police Authority have celebrated a topping out ceremony at Southampton's cutting-edge, £30 million new operational command unit.

The ceremony was marked with the placing of the final stone panel in the entrance area and speeches by Chief Constable Alex Marshall, Hampshire Police Authority Chair, Cllr Jacqui Rayment and Kier Southern Director, Shane Mason.

Standing eight floors tall, the 8,500sq m building is a landmark at the gateway to the city and will provide office accommodation for 500 police staff, including the crime scene investigation and criminal justice units, as well as administrative areas and an impressive front reception space.

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The new centre will dramatically change the face of policing in Hampshire by allowing the Southampton OCU to centralise its operations under one roof for the first time.

An upper ground level - built adjacent to the office tower -will house a 36-cell podium custody suite with associated amenities. These include a state of the art security system with CCTV in every cell, a charge area and related offices.

On the lower ground level, space has been provided for police vehicle parking, a property store and IT hub.

At the ceremony Cllr Jacqui Rayment commented: "By replacing an old, out of date facility with a modern, purpose-built centre and making a major investment in policing in the city, we are providing the police with the modern and efficient facilities they need for the 21st century."

(CD)