The Bowling Green City Commission approved $2.5 million for the first phase of the expansion for Bowling Green Police Department Headquarters at its regular meeting Tuesday night.

Police Chief Bill Waltrip says a construction meeting is planned for Wednesday morning, and he expects to see ground moving within the next week. The three-part expansion plan will begin with a new building constructed on Kentucky Street, adjacent to the current headquarters building.

"We were about 10,000 square feet short the day we moved into this building," Waltrip said.

The first phase will include more space for patrol officers and administrators, as well as a renovation and expansion of the space for communications and evidence storage.

Waltrip says he expects the first phase of construction to be completed within 8-9 months.