‘Embarrassing’: Wilmette police station shortcomings put under microscope in latest rebuild discussion

Efforts to move forward with plans to rebuild Wilmette’s police station continued on Thursday, July 18, when the Village Board’s Public Safety Committee met to review options for the project. 

The Village has explored the possibility of a new police station for more than 20 years, and Thursday’s meeting marked another step forward in the latest round of discussions, as commissioners considered financial and design implications of three proposed plans. 

As presented by Village officials: the first option is to delay a rebuild for five years, moving the completion to 2032, at a cost of $62 million; the second is to execute a gut renovation of the current building and construct an addition in a $49 million project that may be ready by 2027; and the third option is to construct a new station for $51.4 million. 

The options provide updated details after a study presented in February revealed a projected cost of $53-$57 million for a new station. Village Manager Mike Braiman said based on a review of the study officials knocked 6.5%, or $3.2 million, off the initial projection. 

Braiman made clear on Thursday that the Village is committed to revamped police facilities. 

“This police station, and as soon as you walk in you will realize, does not function the way it needs to to properly serve our community,” he said. “It frankly is embarrassing from a village manager perspective that this is the police station we have.” 

Meeting participants — which included three trustees, Police Chief Kyle Murphy and other village staff — did not officially express support for any of the options, but provided their thoughts and opinions on the three options and talked about next steps.

The quality and functionality of the space was top of mind for Trustee Steve Leonard, who did not consider Option 2 — a renovation and expansion for reportedly $2 million less than a full rebuild — an effective choice. 

“We are trying to accomplish, trying to build, a first-class facility to meet needs for the future,” Leonard said during the meeting. “Proper design of those facilities is a very high priority. To say we can use existing buildings and save a little bit of money and compromise on the finished product … I don’t really look at that as an option. [We have] failed in that option.”

The first plan is the most expensive primarily because of expected cost escalations. Officials estimate that every year that the project is delayed, a roughly 4% increase is compounded, equaling approximately $2.5 million each year and more than $11 million over five years. 

With a renovation and expansion of the current police facility, which was originally constructed in the 1960s and expanded in the 1980s, a majority of the pre-existing structure would be demolished to meet modern codes and expectations. Officials say this option presents the most challenges in creating functional spaces for the department, and there are limits to what can be built on the pre-existing structure — for instance, the building, as constructed, reportedly cannot withstand a second level. 

A brand new station would include several new spaces and the modernization of other spaces, such as a shooting range and evidence processing room. 

The commission referred to some of them as “should have” spaces, describing areas that enable on-site training, support public outreach and improve dated facilities. These spaces have been deliberated separately following the board’s visits to four recently built suburban police stations to understand the department’s needs.

The most significant of those spaces are the firing range ($2.31 million, 3,845 square feet) and indoor parking ($4.43 million, 9,400 square feet). 

Murphy explained that firing ranges have evolved from the commonly understood image of shooting lanes with targets in the distance. Modern ranges are more open and simulate real-world situations, such as mobile targets, and enable teamwork, he said.

“Some people may think when was the last time Wilmette police were involved in a shooting incident,” Murphy said. “… Fortunately, it’s not regular, but we have to be mindful. It’s low frequency, high liability and we do need to prepare for them. … These are not all shoot situations, but also don’t-shoot situations. 

“The ultimate goal is to reduce the likelihood that there is a use of force … which we do now but we are not able to do to the best of our abilities.”

Village Manager Michael Braiman agreed, saying that the Village police force “is falling behind” and “this is a really important space that has become essential.”

Currently, for firearm training, Wilmette officers go offsite, which Erik Hallgren, the village’s assistant village manager, said costs Wilmette $162,000 a year — a combination of facility rental, personnel and mileage costs.  

Murphy said indoor parking would increase operational efficiency in the winter months, when squad cars, and their technology, can take up to 30 minutes to be operational. An indoor lot would also reportedly reduce idling by the equivalent of 47,390 miles driven annually and may extend the life of police vehicles.

Other desired programs include an updated social services space, multi-purpose room and general spaces that support future staff capacity. 

In August, the Village Board’s Finance Committee plans to present information about the impact of each option on Wilmette taxpayers. The findings will be discussed during a Village Board Committee of the Whole meeting on Sept. 19 at Village Hall, where, prior to that session, the village will host an open house focusing on the project.

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