Long-awaited Hanover Park police headquarters open
It’s hard to tell who in the Hanover Park Police Department is most excited about the long-awaited opening of its new headquarters.
Perhaps it’s the code enforcement team members, currently housed in a trailer with no plumbing. Or maybe it’s the six detectives whose desks are stuffed into a converted one-car garage.
Really, a case could be made for any of the 99 department employees who, this week, will begin moving out of a 36-year-old building meant to accommodate just 40 people.
“We’re a progressive police department, and now we finally have a modern facility to reflect that,” Police Chief David Webb said.
Mayor Rod Craig, state Sen. John Millner, a Carol Stream Republican, and community members attended a dedication event Saturday that marked the new station’s official opening at 2011 Lake St., just east of the old facility and municipal complex.
The gathering featured a ceremony and tours. The honor guard also raised an American flag flown by Hanover Park officer Tim McNulty during his recent tour in Afghanistan with the Marine Corps.
Webb showed off numerous amenities at the $15 million, 53,000-square-foot facility, from the expansive lobby to the ice-melting front walkway that will extend the life of the interior floors.
He said that while it was too expensive to apply for a green certification, officials opted to use recycled materials where they could and other energy-efficient features to bring in more natural light and minimize utility costs.
The station’s safer, more efficient layout also was highlighted. In one example, Deputy Chief Mark Gatz said confrontations have occurred because offenders sometimes encountered their victims. That won’t happen moving forward with eight different interview rooms, added levels of security and a separate entrance to post bond.
The 61 sworn officers and 38 civilian employees also will enjoy much more spacious locker rooms, a fitness room and an outdoor courtyard.
Other upgrades include a firing range that boasts a state-of-the-art ventilation system, squad-car lights and the ability to erect walls to create a more realistic training environment.
An indoor parking garage for 25 cars will help protect expensive equipment from extreme weather and improve response times during winter storms since officers won’t have to clean off their vehicles.
“It sounds weird, but we really hit a home run with this economy because the bids all came in so low,” Webb said. “We were able to do more than we originally thought we would.”
On top of construction costs, the village spent $4 million on land acquisition, the relocation of a salt dome and professional service fees. The new station is designed to last 30 years, but Webb thinks that’s a conservative number.
Once the police department has completely moved out of the old station, the village hall will expand into that space.