Hainesville gets police service from Lake County, for now

The Lake County sheriff's office has vowed to provide Hainesville with full-time professional police service, free of charge, until the village's newly formed police department is operational.

"What we do in unincorporated Lake County is what we're going to do for the village," Undersheriff Chuck Fagan said. "We are a professional organization, the largest department in Lake County, and certainly want to see the village successful."

Fagan said sheriff's deputies will begin enforcing traffic and state statutes next month.

On Feb. 10, Hainesville's 9-year contract with the Round Lake Park Police Department will end.

Village officials turned down contract offers for police services from Grayslake and Lake County, and opted instead to form its own full-time department.

Preliminary estimates show the department will cost about $542,000 to operate in the first year.

Hainesville also will continue its contract with CenCom, a 911 dispatch center serving seven communities and eight public safety agencies in Lake County.

Ronald Roth of Antioch was hired this week as Hainesville's first police chief. The department is expected to be operational in about three months.

Meanwhile, Sheriff Mark Curran and Fagan have reached out to Hainesville and offered their services.

Roth, a 28-year veteran of the Antioch Police Department, praised the sheriff's department, saying the support is invaluable.

Fagan said the assistance won't strain his department at all.

"They've got 4,000 residents, and it is an additional two square miles," he said. "Two of our five districts can patrol there, and we are happy to do it. When Chief Roth tells us he's ready, we'll leave and wish them all the success in the world."