Architects tell Vernon Hills trustees Phase 1 study finds operational, safety and storage gaps at police campus; board authorizes Phase 2 study

FGM Architects presented Phase 1 of a police campus planning study during a committee meeting, saying the department’s two-building campus — the 754 main station and the adjacent 740 building — creates visitor confusion, requires staff and visitors to move through operational work areas, and mixes evidence and operational storage in ways that risk chain-of-custody and staff safety. "When you first come to the station ... it's not so clear," architect Raymond Lee said, describing circulation problems that send visitors across parking lots and through staff areas.

The consultants identified specific functional shortfalls and safety concerns. They recommended a baseline ("essential") facility size of about 46,000 square feet — roughly 12,800 square feet larger than current occupied space — to address essential needs such as additional interview rooms, counseling/victim spaces, evidence processing and secure storage, and about 5,500 square feet of garage space to shelter frontline vehicles. An "optimal" program that would accommodate expanded training and community-facing spaces approaches about 62,000 square feet. Lee said new-construction costs for typical current market conditions run about $600 per square foot for building structure alone, with full fit-out reaching higher (architects cited a broad example in the $800/sf range for fully equipped specialty areas); the presentation included a rough headline figure in the mid-to-high tens of millions for a full new-build scenario.

Chief Kreese and other police staff highlighted operational impacts tied to the campus layout. The chief said that moving people between buildings can force staff to escort victims, witnesses or noncustodial interviewees past open work areas, and that seasonal snow/ice and uncovered parking has caused staff injuries and operational strain. "We have had numerous employees injured" in winter-weather shuffles, the chief said, urging consideration of sheltered vehicle storage and safer circulation paths.

The study also flagged training and evidence concerns: the department’s firing range is narrow and lacks ballistic ceiling coverage in some areas; evidence and property storage are split between buildings; some intake and records activities occur adjacent to public queues; and juvenile holding and detainee-release points create lines of movement that could expose staff or visitors. The architects recommended adding dedicated counseling rooms (to support domestic-violence and social-service responses), better separation of public lobbies from operational zones, more interview rooms located away from high-traffic staff areas, and improved evidence-processing and chain-of-custody layouts.

Trustees asked about relocation versus renovation. The consultants said Phase 2 will develop a range of solution options: (a) adapt and reconfigure the existing 740/754 buildings and available warehouse space, (b) convert a nearby warehouse or other adaptive reuse to reduce cost, or (c) build new construction for a higher-cost but optimal layout. The firm will provide comparative budgets for options that use the village’s existing assets and for full new construction so trustees can weigh trade-offs. Several trustees emphasized they were not authorizing construction but wanted budget and program information to inform long-term capital planning.

Next steps: trustees voted to proceed into Phase 2 of the planning work so the consultants can prepare solution alternatives and budget estimates. The Phase 1 presentation and the follow-up Phase 2 work are intended to inform future capital budgeting and are not a directive to build immediately.