It's been open five months, but often there's just a lone police cruiser in the parking lot of the Maryland State Police barrack in Annapolis.

Thirteen troopers work at the barrack, though an average of three are assigned at any given time, switching shifts to keep the building occupied 24 hours a day, seven days a week, while others patrol the southern portion of the county.

A year ago, Gov. Larry Hogan made reopening the Annapolis barrack a priority during his first session as governor. The barrack, which opened in the 1970s, closed in 2008 under the administration of former Gov. Martin O'Malley as a cost-cutting move.

But Hogan called it “a terrible mistake which needed to be corrected,” and said the state capital needed a home for the state police force.

Democrats in the General Assembly initially declined to consider Hogan's plan to reopen the facility, but the Republican governor moved ahead and the barrack reopened in November.

Yet officials say it will take until the end of 2017 to fully staff the barrack with 28 troopers. The state has allocated money for an additional 100 troopers, but that was to help fill about 123 vacancies throughout the force, said Lt. Col. Laura Herman, support services bureau chief for the state police.

The department could have filled Annapolis with troopers from other barracks, but instead will wait for recruits from the academies.

“You don't want to rob Peter to pay Paul,” said Herman, who is overseeing the transition.

Though many offices are empty, the building is operational. Troopers make arrests that are processed there, and there is space to hold detainees — two cells in the basement. As of March 30, troopers have processed 139 arrests since the reopening, according to state police data.

The barrack, one of 23 in the state, has undergone some repairs and renovations, including floor and ceiling tile upgrades.