New Glen Ellyn police station set to open in June

The new Glen Ellyn police station will open in June - two months ahead of schedule - with public amenities and vastly improved security for officers.

As police prepare to move out of their cramped quarters downtown, contractors are putting the final touches on the building near the entrance of Panfish Park.

Cooperative weather allowed crews to wrap up construction far sooner than expected. The project also should come in a few thousand dollars under the $13.51 million budget, officials say.

Paint touch-ups and the installation of a monument sign are some of the "punch-list items" left to do, Assistant Police Chief Bill Holmer says.

But it's already clear there's "no comparison" between the aging station the department outgrew years ago and the new building along Park Boulevard, Holmer says.

The village selected the site because of its proximity to Roosevelt Road, a busy commercial corridor that generates more 911 calls than other parts of town.

"The entire department is extremely excited about the move," Holmer said. "They're extremely excited to be in a location where we think we can be of better service to the community. We can be easily accessible to the whole community."

Holmer gave the Daily Herald a tour of the 29,000-square-foot building Monday ahead of an unveiling celebration set for June 10. Then, police plan to make the move over two days until the station opens publicly by the end of June 15.

The earth tones of the building's stone and wood finishes complement the natural setting of Panfish Park. Off the two-story lobby is a community room that fits up to about 175 people. The room's glass windows automatically tint in sunlight.

"I think it's a great community asset," Holmer said.

Police will run most of the day-to-day operations out of the first floor. Officers will fill out reports in writing stations just steps from the offices of their supervisors and the roll-call room.

There's also a "much better setup" for technicians who get their own first-floor space to process evidence and dust for fingerprints, Holmer said.

By contrast, the current station inside an 11,000-square-foot section of the Civic Center has an awkward work flow. Police also have long raised security concerns with the old station.

Suspects in police cars are brought in through a public parking lot shared with village employees and into a garage on a steep decline. Investigators conduct interviews in rooms inappropriately located next to administrative offices.

The new station has a sally port that's safer for both officers and those in custody, Holmer said. And each interview room has a panic button.

With the project running under budget, Leopardo, the construction firm hired by the village, and Dewberry, the architects, were able to design and build a fence on the property, Holmer said. Crews also added security cameras and storage units - items initially dropped from plans.

In a new emergency operations center on the second floor, police, firefighters, public work employees and other officials can prepare for, say, a major weather event and direct resources "in the field," Holmer said.

"This is a huge, huge deal here," he said.