RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Wake County received $1.5 million to help improve the safety and security of people who live in the county.

The money is earmarked to go toward a new DNA testing lab and renovating the Emergency Operations Center.

Wake County commissioners as well as state representatives gathered Tuesday to receive the ceremonial check during a presentation held in the room that will soon be the future EOC.

The current EOC is on the basement floor in a very small space. $1 million of the new funding will be used to build a new state-of-the-art center. The remaining $500,000 will be used to create the new DNA lab designed to cut down turnaround times for DNA testing.

"Our current facility is too small; it's antiquated. It doesn't have the technology we need and we really have not been able to do everything we need to do," Wake County Commissioners Chairman Matt Calabria said.

"These are your federal tax dollars. You send this money to Washington and people don't know necessarily how it comes back into the community and this is a very tangible way," Congresswoman Deborah Ross said. She and Congressman David Price worked to get the project funded.

The goal is to have the new EOC and DNA testing lab completed by early 2023.