Gurnee to join Lake County 911 consolidation; mayor highlights police, SRO and fire staffing increases

Mayor Tom Hood said the Village of Gurnee will participate in a Lake County consolidation of dispatch centers this summer intended to reduce call-transfer time and improve emergency response.

"This is the, in Lake County, this coming summer, we're going to see a consolidation of our 911 centers ... 30, and in that area, we'll be consolidating," Hood said. He described the principal goal as reducing the number of transfers and seconds lost when an emergency call must be routed between centers. "Whatever amount of time that takes ... it's too many seconds when your husband is having a heart attack," he said, calling the consolidation an investment the village could not have done alone.

Hood also reviewed police-department staffing and community outreach: he said the village added a commander, several officers and another school resource officer (SRO) in 2024 and noted the department runs citizen and youth police academies and community events. "SROs ... are really important to me," he said, referencing national school-shooting statistics and describing lockdown drills and school-police coordination as part of preparedness.

On firefighting and emergency medical responses, Hood cited the department's 2024 activity level: "our fire department last year had over 8,000 calls" and "almost 4,000 inspections," he said, noting continued investment in equipment and fire-alarm monitoring with businesses.

The mayor said the village expects some cost and transition work as dispatch moves to Lake County but said it should reduce transfers and ultimately improve response. No formal votes or contract approvals on the consolidation were announced during the address.

Ending: Hood framed the public-safety investments as part of the village's commitment to being "safe, strong, together," and he reiterated that the village board funds equipment and staffing to support emergency services.