Mayor Daley Cuts Ribbon For New District 8 Police Station

Mayor Richard M. Daley today unveiled the new Chicago Lawn Police Station – a state-of-the-art facility designed to address the needs of 21st century law enforcement.

The $13 million station, located at 3420 W. 63rd St. and serving the Eighth Police District, was built by the Public Building Commission of Chicago (PBC), which is chaired by Mayor Daley.

The new 42,000-square-foot facility is more than twice the size of the existing station, which was built in 1926. The new facility is a modern police station that was built to help meet the needs of the community as well as the challenges of contemporary law enforcement.

“Safety begins in our neighborhoods and that is why this new police station is so important,” said Mayor Daley. “We are strongly committed to providing the best facilities that enable our police force to do their jobs more efficiently to better serve the residents of Chicago.”

Chicago Police Superintendent Phil Cline, PBC Executive Director Montel Gayles, Alderman Ted Thomas (15th Ward) and other public officials joined the Mayor.

The new police station offers features that enhance the Chicago Police Department’s overall technology initiatives, which are essential for crime reduction and community policing:

• A new computerized command center;
• A high-tech roll call room to enhance presentations during briefing and training sessions;
• A community meeting room will promote neighborhood involvement;
• A fitness room and updated locker room facilities to help meet the needs of the police department’s changing workforce; and
• Environmentally friendly features such as reflective roofing to reduce the urban heat island effect, electric car recharging area, and recycled content used in building materials as well as ceiling and floor tiles.

This is the tenth new police station built under Mayor Daley’s Neighborhoods Alive program, which includes firehouses and police stations. Nearly twenty police and firehouses will be replaced under the program.

“By investing in these types of capital improvements—police stations, new parks, libraries, and firehouses—we are creating strong neighborhood anchors that contribute to community pride and improve the quality of life for our residents,” said Daley.