WARREN COUNTY, N.C. — Warren County dedicated a new law enforcement center Tuesday that combines several services.

The new facility is large enough to house the sheriff's office, magistrate's office, probation and parole. The county's emergency communication center has already set up shop in the new center.

"When I left here in 1984, there was a little hole in the wall back here in Warrenton. I never thought I'd see the day when we would have such a beautiful and luxurious facility such as this," said Maj. C.E. Lockley of the state Highway Patrol.

The county sheriff's office had been located in the basement of the county courthouse for the last decade. Sheriff Johnny Williams is glad to see those days are finally behind him.

"It was a bad situation. In 1999, when Hurricane Floyd came through, I stayed here all night mopping water, the basement level and the walls began to deteroriate," he said.

The law enforcement center cost county taxpayers more than $1 million. Williams expects to move in to the new facility in a couple of weeks.