Coleford will become home to a new Police and Criminal Justice Hub, under plans unveiled by the county's new commissioner.
Martin Surl is staying true to his election campaign promise of retaining the town's police station and is also making moves to take possession of the adjoining former magistrates court.
Mr Surl was chosen as Gloucestershire's Police and Crime Commissioner in November, replacing the disbanded Police Authority who had put the wheels motion to shut the station and move officers to rented offices at Forest of Dean District Council's headquarters.
The magistrates building, which closed last year, would be used as part of the new hub, but will not be brought back into use as a court, a spokesman for Mr Surl said.
Mr Surl, speaking at Lydney Town Council's meeting on Monday night, said: "I have instructed the estates department to enter negotiations with the Ministry of Justice to acquire the freehold because we need to have security of tenure for many years to come.
"Had we moved in with the Forest of Dean District Council, which was planned, we would have lost the security of a freehold site with the likelihood we would have never found a suitable place again.
"We have a really good site we can develop. This is about creating a base for criminal justice in the Forest of Dean.
"I have asked the Chief Constable to develop plans for what a police hub would look like and which other services could operate from the site."
Martin Surl is staying true to his election campaign promise of retaining the town's police station and is also making moves to take possession of the adjoining former magistrates court.
Mr Surl was chosen as Gloucestershire's Police and Crime Commissioner in November, replacing the disbanded Police Authority who had put the wheels motion to shut the station and move officers to rented offices at Forest of Dean District Council's headquarters.
The magistrates building, which closed last year, would be used as part of the new hub, but will not be brought back into use as a court, a spokesman for Mr Surl said.
Mr Surl, speaking at Lydney Town Council's meeting on Monday night, said: "I have instructed the estates department to enter negotiations with the Ministry of Justice to acquire the freehold because we need to have security of tenure for many years to come.
"Had we moved in with the Forest of Dean District Council, which was planned, we would have lost the security of a freehold site with the likelihood we would have never found a suitable place again.
"We have a really good site we can develop. This is about creating a base for criminal justice in the Forest of Dean.
"I have asked the Chief Constable to develop plans for what a police hub would look like and which other services could operate from the site."