Grayslake police making themselves at home in Hainesville

Hainesville Mayor Linda Soto said the Grayslake police takeover of village patrol duties has been a smooth transition since it began nearly five weeks ago.

Cost considerations led Hainesville to eliminate its two-year-old police department and contract for service with Grayslake. Hainesville expects to save about $300,000 over the next budget year, which runs to April 30.

Soto said while it was bittersweet to see the Hainesville department close, Grayslake police have performed well since assuming command at 6 a.m. July 21.

"We're off to a good start," Soto said. "The transition went very smoothly, better than expected."

Grayslake police Operations Cmdr. Matt McCutcheon said he also has been satisfied with how the department's officers have stepped in to work a fifth beat that was created for Hainesville.

McCutcheon said one of the quirks for the Grayslake cops working Hainesville has been local ordinance enforcement. For example, he said, Grayslake's overnight parking ban is from 3 to 5 a.m., while it runs from 2 to 6 a.m. in Hainesville.

"There are just a lot of nuances, little differences in the communities," he said.

Police cars have been redone to bear the names of Grayslake and Hainesville. Grayslake officers also are wearing a pin with the former Hainesville Police Department logo.

McCutcheon said officers have made an effort to be visible and approachable in Hainesville since the takeover. That effort will continue at Saturday's Hainesville Fest at Union Square Park, where police will have a resource table and patrol presence.

Hainesville village board members in June voted in favor of a three-year contract with Grayslake for police service. Hainesville's total police cost with Grayslake for the first year is expected to be $712,000 in a village budget of roughly $2.92 million.

During discussions last spring regarding the issue, former Hainesville police chief Wallace Frasier had said about $1.1 million would have been required to move the department out of village hall with full-time officer staffing.

Soto said Hainesville sold two of its four police cars for $9,100 at a recent auction. She said one car will be kept for village business, but no decision has been made on the fourth police vehicle.

Hainesville village board members Tuesday night will visit Glenview to tour a dispatching center that handles Grayslake's police calls.