Village of Cary announce agreement to turn current village hall into a police training facility
CARY – McHenry County law enforcement has had a years-long goal of having a dedicated intergovernmental training facility. After coming to a tentative agreement between the county and the Village of Cary, that goal will finally be realized.
Alicia Schueller, McHenry County Government’s communications and project manager, stated that the county would take ownership of the soon-to-be-vacated Cary Village Hall, ultimately converting the 20,485 square-foot government center and police station into a multi-jurisdictional training facility under the control of the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.
Under the agreement, the Village of Cary would also cede McHenry County a portion of the village’s 38.7-acre Public Works property for the construction of an indoor shooting range and training facility.
“For years, McHenry County law enforcement has wanted a local site to train and hone their skills to protect and serve their communities—and once again, McHenry County governments worked together to get things done,” said McHenry County Board Chairman Michael Buehler, R-Crystal Lake, in an Oct. 8 press release. “This agreement with the Village of Cary will improve public safety and quality of life, while at the same time, saving millions of dollars by repurposing an existing facility.”
A tentative memorandum of understanding would transfer ownership of the 655 Village Hall Drive building no later than Feb. 1, with approval for the indoor range at the Public Works site anticipated by the end of 2022, according to the press release.
The Village of Cary is finishing the construction of a new Municipal Center and expects to relocate in December or early January.
“The agreement will meet a longtime need for the Sheriff’s Office and other McHenry County law enforcement agencies, none of which have an indoor range or dedicated training facility,” said Schueller.
“Sheriff’s deputies and local police officers often are forced to travel to other counties to complete their weapons qualifications and attend training. The Sheriff’s Office maintains an outdoor range in Hartland Township west of Woodstock, but training opportunities are limited by weather and use restrictions.”
McHenry County government officials state that besides other benefits that come with having a law enforcement training center in the county, the consolidated facility will further improve public safety by giving local agencies more opportunities to train together, which will improve operations during mutual aid incidents.
Additionally, the new facility will allow for other first responder trainings—such as fire, dispatch, emergency management, and others—to be hosted.
“We are excited to partake in an opportunity for the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, and our sister agencies, to develop and progress training resources. This training facility will serve as a powerful, efficient resource that enhances our ability to serve our citizens,” said Sheriff Bill Prim.
The agreement with Cary is the latest development in an ongoing effort to explore cost-saving and increased efficiency through sharing services and increasing intergovernmental cooperation.
McHenry County and the McHenry County Council of Governments (MCOG) agreed last December to appoint MCOG Executive Director Chalen Daigle as county coordinator to facilitate collaboration.
“While moving to [the] new Municipal Center will be bittersweet, the Village Board is pleased that its current Village Hall will continue to serve the public,” said Cary Mayor Mark Kownick.
“We’re proud of our great partnership with McHenry County, and we’re proud that our building will continue to be in good hands,” Kownick said. “Having the Sheriff’s Office take ownership of the building and repurpose it is a win-win for the community and for the county.”
The McHenry County Board and the Village of Cary Board of Trustees are scheduled to vote on the agreement at their respective Tuesday, Oct. 19 meetings.
