Arlington Heights police using Elk Grove's jail
Arlington Heights will use the jail facilities of Elk Grove Village during the estimated 18-month construction of a new police station, while other towns' jails will be used as backups.
Those taken into custody by Arlington Heights police will be taken to Elk Grove's police department, 901 Wellington Ave., even though operations of Arlington Heights' police department are temporarily headquartered at 1500 W. Shure Drive on the north side of Arlington Heights. The temporary digs where Arlington Heights cops moved in Monday - an office building near Dundee Road and Route 53 - don't include a jail, so officials made arrangements with neighboring police chiefs to use their jails.
Arlington Heights Deputy Police Chief Nick Pecora said Elk Grove will serve as the primary lockup facility. If it is full, Buffalo Grove, Wheeling, Rolling Meadows, Palatine and Mount Prospect can be used for overflow.
Like Arlington Heights, the police departments of Elk Grove, Buffalo Grove and Wheeling have been certified by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Using any other jail could jeopardize Arlington Heights' accreditation status, Pecora said.
Elk Grove used Arlington Heights' jail during construction of its expanded police headquarters from 2007 to 2009. Arlington Heights won't have to pay Elk Grove or the other departments to use their jails, but will have to cover costs for prisoners' meals and transportation to and from court. The village must also maintain insurance coverage.
"It's all about mutual aid and reciprocity," Pecora said. "It's helping out your neighbors."
Work on underground utilities for the new police station at 200 E. Sigwalt St. began Monday. The 38-year-old police building on site will be torn down in June, making way for construction of the new two-level, 70,500-square-foot police station.
It should be complete by fall 2018, though Arlington Heights has agreements allowing use of the temporary headquarters and jails through May 2019.