VIDALIA — Police chief-elect Ronnie G. “Tapper” Hendricks wants to see some changes at the Vidalia Police Department — and not just with how things are run.

“When you walk into the department, it’s like walking into a dungeon,” Hendricks said.

Once he takes office, Hendricks wants to have a crew go in and do some general maintenance on the building, fixing air ducts without vent covers, scrubbing smoke-stained walls and replacing sagging or water-stained ceiling tiles.

Built in 1958 under the administration of former Vidalia Mayor John Dale III, the police station has become increasingly dingy through the years, Hendricks said.

“We are not going to spend a lot of money, but we have to spend a little bit to spruce it up,” Hendricks said. “First impressions are the most important, and no matter how great the city is and how clean it is, when someone walks into the Vidalia Police Department it’s like walking into the 1950s.”

The last time any major work was done on the station was when current Police Chief Billy Hammers took office in 1998, Hammers said.

“When I came in I had new paneling and new cabinets put in,” Hammers said. “I also took some cells and had them turned into offices.”

The station needs some new flooring, and Hammers said he was planning to put down new tile before the election, but because Hendricks was elected that responsibility would fall on him.

“The inside was almost completely remodeled when I took over,” Hammers said. “I was an officer for 13 years before that, and there wasn’t any work done during that time.”

The simple facelift will hopefully make the community see the station as a friendlier place, Hendricks said.

“We want to get (the station) functional where our officer family and the public will feel comfortable,” Hendricks said.

Hendricks takes office July 1.