TURNER – The deputies who patrol Androscoggin County’s small towns may have a new home.

Sheriff Guy Desjardins has opened talks between county commissions and Turner officials to explore moving into a vacant floor of the town-owned Leavitt Institute Building.

“I think we could do it for relatively little money,” said Desjardins, who came up with the idea several weeks ago. He has since talked with Town Manager Eva Leavitt and toured the space.

“It’s perfectly situated for us,” he said.

Located in the center of town on land owned by SAD 52, the building hosts Turner’s historical society and its public library on the third and fourth floors. A community room sits on the first floor.

The second floor has sat empty since last April, when town meeting voters disbanded the the Turner Center for the Arts.

The nonprofit arts organization was unable to keep up with its rent and fell apart. So far, there has been no talk of money.

Meanwhile, the building’s overseer – the Leavitt Institute Building Committee – wants to show it off to commissioners.

“Please come and take a tour,” committee Chairman Ralph Caldwell told commissioners on Wednesday.

The century-old building underwent a $700,000 renovation about 10 years ago, updating the structure for safety codes and handicapped accessibility.

Changes would have to be made before the Sheriff’s Department could move in.

Desjardins has already talked with people at Central Maine Community College about coming up with plans for the 3,000-square-foot second floor. Classrooms would have to be refitted for office space. There would likely be need for an evidence locker and a conference room, Desjardins said.

For him, the biggest benefit would be the location.

The building sits on Route 117, with quick connections to Livermore, Leeds, Greene and elsewhere around the northern half of the county.

“It fits very, very good,” Desjardins said. “These are our towns.” The towns of Poland, Mechanic Falls and Durham could be served by the existing substation in Poland.

It would also relieve a crunch inside the county building in Auburn.

When poor air quality forced the department out of the basement, people were moved into temporary space upstairs. One detective settled into a former closet. Patrol deputies were given spaces around the county, including at the Greene Fire Station and in the Auburn Police Department.

Like bad house guests, they don’t want to outlast their welcome, Desjardins said.

This move would consolidate the patrol division in one place again, perhaps even placing Patrol Capt. Raymond Lafrance at the office, the sheriff said.

Such discussion is still early, he warned.

Any agreement would also have to include the school district, which owns the land and has the right of refusal on any tenant.

Some police work would continue at the county building. Sex offender registry and other duties would be prohibited at the institute building, which is close to a school, Desjardins said.