South Elgin’s new Public Safety Center hosted open house to build community relationships

A ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house tours were held on the afternoon of Nov. 23 at South Elgin’s new Public Safety Center at 50 S. Water St.

The public received the first look of South Elgin’s new $20 million Public Safety Center alongside a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours, before the police force transferring into a state-of-the-art facility.

“We had to relocate from a small 6,000-square-foot building to a 30,000-square-foot one. We’re excited about that all together," said Brian Polkinghorn, deputy chief of operations.

In the afternoon, South Elgin Village President Steve Ward, state Rep. Dan Ugaste, state Sen. Don Wewitte, and Police Chief Jerry Krawczyk joined the event to cut the ribbon on their new Veterans Memorial Wall, council chambers, and public safety center. The construction of this cutting-edge facility is a significant investment in the growth and development of their municipality. Steve Super, the city administrator, and his team were also present.

Lamp Inc. oversaw the building’s construction, which was designed by Kluber Architects and its engineers. Planning started in the summer of 2022 and involved staff, the village board, and the police department, in addition to excursions to observe 12 newer police stations in the Chicago suburbs, according to Brian Polkinghorn.

It takes the place of the existing police station, which is housed in village hall and was built to accommodate a police force of 20 officers. Even though the town’s population has doubled to over 24,000 persons and the number of police officers has increased by more than 30%, the square footage has remained unchanged since 1997, according to Polkinghorn.

According to Pierce, there are currently 35 sworn officers in the department, including the chief, two deputy chiefs, and six sergeants. Six civilian personnel, both full-time and part-time, are also present. They still intend to add a few more police officers to the force.

For the first time, South Elgin police officers will have separate workspaces for each of the six sergeants, a roll call room, a break area, and locker facilities.

The exercise facility on the second level, which is also available to village employees, is what officers are most looking forward to, Polkinghorn said.

Additional facilities include a command center for emergency operations, a hearing room for adjudication, a special location for social workers to help residents, victims, and their families, and areas for storing, processing, and investigating evidence.

According to Polkinghorn, a "Scully Room," which serves as a drop-off location for inmates, was made to be big enough to fit an ambulance. It also has a place for stray pets, laundry machines, and a drying rack for evidence. Up to six police cars can fit in the nearby carport.

There is a plaza outside the center dedicated to local honoring veterans. The public could purchase and install paver bricks with the names of veterans etched on them in time for Memorial Day or Armed Forces Day in the spring.

Mohammad Yasin Chohan, a member of the local community, stated, "I want to make sure that every South Elgin resident is recognized, respected, and included."

Participation in the community is essential. Every little thing we can do, like welcoming our neighbor and helping a small local business, contributes to making South Elgin stronger and more cohesive.

The open house included tours of the stations and opportunities to talk to police officers, staff, the rescue team, and the drone crew. In addition, anyone can engage with the department’s dogs.