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Facility Proposal

This document is available to view in PDF format. PDF Files
Police Needs Analysis

The City of Des Plaines is considering building a new police facility to meet the current and future needs of our community. This is a major undertaking and many residents have raised questions about such a project. The challenge today is to determine the appropriate size and cost of a new Police facility and then put this plan into action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is a new Police facility needed?

The City Council has been considering the need for a new Police facility since 2001. The current police facility was built nearly 35 years ago when the department had approximately 102 employees. Today, the department has 130 employees within the same space – a 27% increase in staffing. The nature of police work has changed since the current facility was built. The demands for computer technology, crime lab and evidence handling, prisoner security, meeting space and equipment storage has overwhelmed the capacity of the existing building. The ability to adequately train our personnel in a variety of homeland security and tactical situations is severely hampered in our current layout. The current police department has 20,000 square feet of space and is located next to City Hall. According to the architects who have studied the space needs, approximately 80,000 total square feet is needed to house a modern, efficient police operation in a community the size of our City.

What are other communities are doing?

Most communities in the Chicago area are facing the same problem and many have already taken steps to resolve it. In the past few years, Glenview, Niles, Orland Park, Streamwood, Mundelein and Highland Park have all built new police facilities. Elk Grove Village has begun construction, while Skokie, Palatine, Waukegan, Northlake and Park Ridge are at various stages of the planning phase for new police facilities.

How much will it cost?

The preliminary estimates for a new police facility place the cost between $25 million and $30 million. The final cost of this project will vary depending upon the additional cost of land for the site ultimately selected and whether there is an existing building that could be converted for use.

How will it be paid for?

A new police facility will be an expensive proposition and it won’t be paid for all at once. Usually, public facilities like this are paid for through a bond issue – with the bonds being paid off over 20 years. It is similar to paying for a mortgage on a house. The City pays a much lower interest rate on the money it borrows, which makes it less expensive to pay for the building over time.

What are the next steps?

At this time the City is putting together the pertinent information that is needed for the City Council to make an informed decision on a new police facility. This information includes a space needs analysis to justify the size of the facility as well as construction and land acquisition costs. This information will be discussed during the preparation of the 2008 budget.

 

 

 


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Events Calendar
7/29/10 Building Code Committee Meeting
8/2/10 City Council Meeting
8/4/10 Special Events Commission
8/9/10 Plan Commission
News Headlines
Current Des Plaines River Road Reconstruction Started June 21, 2010
7/16/10 History Center Plans Trip to Art Institute and Millennium Park
7/15/10 Summer Safety Tips
7/14/10 National Night Out Scheduled for August 3
7/14/10 Public Meetings Help Develop GO TO 2040 Regional Plan
7/9/10 Des Plaines Self Help Closet & Pantry Receives Donations
7/8/10 Certificate of Appreciation Presented to Robert Provenzano

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