Port Barrington village board eliminates police department

The small village of Port Barrington no longer has its own police department.

The village board voted Wednesday night to halt the operation of the Port Barrington police department, Lake County Sheriff's police confirmed.

Lake County Sheriff and McHenry County Sheriff offices will work together to patrol the village until officials decide on a long-term plan.

The county officers have been providing police protection to the small town since July 15 when village officials suspended the part-time police department. Town leaders placed Chief Ronald Chan and the only other full-time officer, Cmdr. Lawrence Bender, on administrative leave last month. The department also had three part-time officers in the past.

Village President Mike Head gave no further details or reasoning about the suspension at that time.

The village will now evaluate other options for patrolling the community of about 1,600 people. Port Barrington is a 1.1-square mile community straddling the McHenry and Lake County line along the shores of the Fox River, south of Island Lake and northeast of Cary. The community was known as Fox River Valley Gardens until changing its name in 2003.