Elmhurst To Show 'Sorry State' Of Police Building

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst officials want a new police station, but they face a skeptical public.

Most residents only see the outside of the building, liking what they see. They wonder why the city should spend an estimated $48 million to rebuild the station.

That kind of money means increasing taxes; a city committee is looking at ways to do that.

On Monday, the city revealed it was planning to address the public's questions.

"Staff has been putting together a series of videos showing all the deficiencies that we've talked about at the police station," City Manager Jim Grabowski said at a City Council meeting. "It would be difficult to open up the police station to tours to the entire public. There might be an opportunity for that in the future."

The videos should be out shortly, he said.

Mayor Scott Levin said the case for a new police station is strong.

"It's not really easily understood by the public now, but I believe it will be when they see the videos when we better make the case of why, in my opinion, it's almost essential," Levin said.

Levin also said he wanted the public to be able to contrast the "sorry state" of the local station to new state-of-the-art ones in towns such as Downers Grove.

Alderman Jacob Hill agreed the city needed a new station.

"I'm not sure how we're going to afford it or when that's going to happen," he said.

He asked where the city was in discussions about paying for it.

Alderwoman Noel Talluto, who heads the council's finance committee, said her panel has made no recommendations yet. She said members were still reviewing options.

"More to come," she said.

The city has listed problems with the current 34-year-old building, particularly with its security.