Planning Your Dream Police Facility

All law enforcement agencies need a headquarters or substation and will need to plan, design, and build a new or renovated facility at some point in the future.

With the useful life of a police facility ranging from 20-50 years on average, a new facility project is often a “first-time” experience for law enforcement professionals to handle.

Empowering Law Enforcement

Harbour consults with law enforcement executives pursuing facility construction projects. We successfully streamline the most complex jobs with a proven design-build delivery method which we have utilized for decades.

Our experience and industry knowledge combined empowers law enforcement professionals to make the most intelligent decisions regarding their project, setting the foundation of success early.

We work to ensure that all criteria fit the specific operational and personnel needs and that they align with the facility’s capacity and design.

Harbour Understands Building for Police Officers

We are proud to build for those in blue and understand that it is never too early to discuss your department’s needs. We know that police stations are no longer just about constructing a secure and operational building. Instead, we know that community integration and relationship building is a significant component of a successful police station and must be achieved without compromising security.

Our team includes professionals with vast public safety expertise in the construction industry. For over 6-decades, we have successfully delivered various municipal project types throughout the Midwest, from police departments and fire stations to adult detention facilities and emergency management agencies.

Project Highlight

Chicago’s 23rd (Now 19th) District Police Station

About the Project

Harbour Contractors was selected for Chicago’s new 23rd, now 19th, District Police Station, replacing their existing facility. The old station was built in the 1930s and did not have adequate space or amenities to service the Town Hall District.

The new station consists of a two-story 44,000 SF load-bearing masonry building with a design based on the prototype for other new police stations built throughout the City.

The project was designed to accommodate a staff of 450 people over three shifts and contains both male and female locker rooms, roll call room, exercise room, sallyport, holding cells, interview rooms, evidence areas, 100-seat community room, administrative and general offices, 150-foot communications tower, and a four-story parking garage, with a vegetative green roof.

Achieving LEED® Gold Certification from the USGBC

Going green has gained national acceptance as a cost-effective and energy-saving solution that construction management firms can provide their clients. The most prominent standard for green buildings is the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification.

This project was designed to achieve the goal of LEED® Gold Certification and includes a turbine generator waste heat recovery system, heat island effect reduction pavement, drought-resistant landscaping, and a sophisticated building energy management system. Additionally, the Chicago Architecture Foundation nominated this police station for the Patron of the Year Award in 2011.

Environmentally-Friendly or “Green” Sustainable Elements

• Installed Reflective and Vegetative Surfaces on Roof to Cool Building, Save Energy Costs, and Reduce Heat Island Effect
• Installed Permeable and Reflective Surfaces at Adjacent Drives to the Building to Reduce Heat Island Effect and Better Manage Storm-Water
• 56% Vegetative Roof
• Parking Structure Minimizes Impervious Paved Areas
• Reduced Amount of Water Used for Landscaping through Careful Plant Selection, Natural Landscaping, and High-Efficiency Irrigation System
• Installed Low-Flow and Seasoned Sinks and Showers and Dual Flush Toilets, which Together Result in a Water Use Reduction of 41.8%
• Designed to Use Over 24% Less Energy by Cost than Similar Buildings
• Co-Generation System for Electrical and Building Heating
• Used Non-Ozone Depleting Mechanical Equipment to Protect Atmosphere
• Purchased Renewable Energy or “Green Power” Credits, which will Reduce Reliance on Traditional Power Generation and Support Renewable Sources
• More than 20% of Materials Installed in this Building will be Recycled
• More than 42% of Materials for the Building will be Manufactured Locally/Regionally
• 86%+ of All Wood Used on the Project Came from Sustainable Managed Forests Certified by the Forest Stewardship Council
• Instituted an Air Quality Plan to Ensure Clean Air for Workers during Construction and prior Occupancy for the Building Occupants when Construction was Complete
• Used Building Materials which Emit Fewer Fumes
• Built Exhaust Systems for Areas Where Chemicals are Stored
• Installed Temperature Control Systems and Increased the Amount of Natural Light in the Building to Increase Worker Productivity and Improve the Quality of Life
• Healthy Cleaning Products and Strategies Utilized upon Project’s Successful Completion

Building Features

• Load Bearing Masonry with Exterior Finish Brick
• Durable Materials for Ease of Cleaning and Maintenance
• Community Room to Accommodate Group Functions
• Secure Viewing and Line-Up Rooms
• High-Tech Roll Call Room with Large Video Screens
• Physical Fitness Rooms
• State-of-the-Art Fiber Optic Cable Network
• Cameras Mounted on Exterior to Monitor Parking Lots and All Access/Egress Points
• “Quiet Rooms” for Traumatic Incident Counseling
• Locker Facilities
• Warming/Cooling Station Capabilities

Exterior Amenities

• 361 Space, Dual Service, Parking Structure
• Green and Reflective Roof
• 150-Foot Monopole Communications Tower
• Outdoor Electronic Message Board
• Reflective and Landscaped Site Development to Reduce Urban Heat Island Effect
• Bicycle Storage Area
• Multiple Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Ports
• Permeable Paving
• Aggressive Stormwater Management

Related Municipal Projects

• Berwyn Emergency Public Works and Fire Station – (Current Project)
• Burr Ridge Police Station
• Chicago’s 12th (Near West) District Police Station
• Chicago’s 23rd (Now 19th) District Police Station
• Oakbrook Terrace Police Station
• Oak Brook Municipal Complex and Fire Station
• O’Hare Air Rescue Firefighter Station No. 2
• Kendall County Public Safety Center
• Morris Municipal Services Facility 
• Sandwich Public Safety Complex – (Current Project)
• Sycamore Police Station
• Will County “302” Offices and Security
• Will County Adult Detention Facility
• Will County Animal Control Center
• Will County Emergency Management Agency
• Woodridge Police Department and Public Works – (Current Project)

Not Sure Where to Start? Let’s Talk Today!

All law enforcement agencies need a headquarters or substation and will need to plan, design, and build a new or renovated facility in the future. Our goal is to empower law enforcement executives pursuing a facility construction project to make the most intelligent decisions and direct the project so that the building fits their specific operational and cultural needs. Often, police departments find that the opposite happens, and they must later adjust their operations, and personnel needs to match the facility’s capacity and design.

Since the useful life of a police facility typically ranges from 20 to over 50 years, a new facility project generally is a “first-time” experience for most law enforcement executives, which may seem overwhelming. With over 63 years of industry experience, Harbour knows public safety and is ready to assist in successfully executing your dream project. All we need is a bit of information to begin.