Repurposing Station Won’t Mean More Police Protection

Despite area interest in increasing public safety, housing the Cook County Sheriff’s Central Warrants Unit at the former 13th District Police Station will not affect area police patrolling.

Ald. Proco “Joe” Moreno (1st) announced Wednesday the County Board of Commissioners passed the proposal for the station at 927 N. Wood St. The space has remained vacant since December when it was consolidated with the 12th District’s station.

But while Moreno said he’s kept his promise to keep a police presence at the station, some neighbors note the Central Warrants Unit is not similar to actual law enforcement, but instead deals with the apprehension of county fugitives.

“When the announcement that the 13th district police station would be closed and consolidated with the 12th District Station, I vowed to fight for a police presence on the site,” Moreno said in a statement. “Today, I am extremely happy and proud to have kept this promise.”

When the announcement was made regarding the station’s closure, a five-person team was created to help decide what should be done with the old building. Ideas like a dog park or community amphitheater were included in a survey sent to residents, but based on comments, neighbors wished they could keep police at the station.

"With topline from early October, three things popped, but importantly, nearly 50 percent of the respondents added comments requesting some form of POLICE presence,” comments Ronda Locke, a member of the five-person panel. “The three things that popped were in order 1) land swap in order to expand Commercial Park, 2) adult park at Wood St, or 3) dog park, with comments to the affect ‘if a police presence was not an option’." 

Although the Central Warrants Unit is not the same as Chicago police officers, Moreno said the five-person team was “overwhelmingly pleased with this news.”

For the next 10 years, at least 100 sheriffs will be located at the station, writes Our Urban Times. The plan, which has yet to be approved by the City Council, said the county will pay $1 annually to least the space through 2023.

Moreno says $500,000 in city money, as well as $100,000 in Ward 1 menu money, will help fund the new facility, DNAinfo Chicago reports. 

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