Matteson Takes Pride In New Police Station

The Matteson Police Department recently moved into its new facility located on the west side of Cicero avenue between Route 30 and Vollmer Road in Matteson. The address is 20500 Cicero Avenue.

The new building provides features lacking in the old Matteson police station, primarily: interview rooms, vehicle bays, an exercise room, personnel locker rooms, evidence storage area, a photo lab, and a room for a future firing range.

In addition, the new facility offers more safety and security for police department employees with the addition of a separate entrance through which prisoners can be transported directly, under maximum security, into the prisoner processing and detention area.

Administrative and operational functions can be performed more efficiently in expanded office space, which includes separate offices for the Chief of Police, Deputy Chief of Police, a reception area and conference room.

Other areas include criminal investigation offices, a squad room, a multi-purpose training/meeting room, and a communications and records center.

The multi-purpose training/meeting room is available to community organizations for meetings, as are special tours of the building. Arrangements for meetings and/or tours can be made by calling the department's administrative division at 748-4085.

Page 20 / Illinois Municipal Review / July 1987

Dedication of the 19,000 square foot building was held recently, followed by an open house and tours. Presiding over the ceremonies were Village President, Mark Stricker, and Donald Story, Police Chief.

According to the village's administrative staff, total cost of the building approximated $2 million; $800,000 of which was covered by a bond issue; the remainder with existing village cash funds. Architect for the building is Poison Architects, North Kansas City. Mid-Continent Builders, Inc., Matteson, was the contractor/builder. The building was completed and occupied exactly one year from the time the construction contract was awarded, and eleven months from the groundbreaking date.

When asked why the building was built next to a cow pasture in what appears to be "the middle of nowhere," Daniel Dubruiel, Village Administrator, commented, "We have built a building reflecting the future of Matteson. It is integrally tied into what will occur in the 'Cicero Avenue corridor,' bounded by I-57, U.S. 30 and Vollmer Road."

"When we meet our economic development goals, we will have developed business parks along that corridor, he continued. "In addition, the U.S. Post Office has scheduled groundbreaking for 1988 for a new building one block away from the new police facility, and developer, Gerald Stillman is proposing a 198-acre development behind the station site. In five to ten years, the new police building will be located in the center of new development." •

July 1987 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 2