In Progress: New Will County Sheriff's Office

JOLIET, IL — The groundbreaking of a new Public Safety Complex took place Wednesday, marking the first of several major capital projects over the next four to five years. The new home for the sheriff's office, 911 Dispatch Center and Emergency Telephone System Board (ETSB) could open by the end of next year.

The $29.5 million, 85,000 sq. ft. facility on Laraway Road and Route 52 in Joliet will replace the existing sheriff's office next door and provide a new administration and training building, evidence storage, space for a consolidated 911 Dispatch Center that will serve 30 communities as well as the Emergency Telephone System Board, according to a Will County news release. Currently, there is a need for a central location for these functions that are now spread throughout the county. Once the new complex is complete, the old sheriff's office will be torn down.

“Our entire staff is looking forward to this new facility,” said Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley. “The law enforcement staff, as well as our civilian staff, are dedicated to the residents of Will County and are committed to providing the highest standards of public safety to them. This facility is essential for the growth and progress of the sheriff’s office. Upon its completion we will be poised to be more efficient by being under the same roof and better equipped with new technology and modernization within all divisions of the department. We are excited to get this project started.”

In August 2013, after many years of deliberation, the Will County Board approved a comprehensive plan for major capital improvement projects and set into motion three years of planning and preparing for today's event. Completion of the Public Safety Complex will herald the construction of a new courthouse and judicial complex in downtown Joliet on the southwest corner of Ottawa and Jefferson Streets. The county purchased the former Midwest Bank building in late 2014 and some of the sheriff's operations have worked out of there since then. Once they move into the new Public Safety Complex, the building will be demolished.

An accelerated timeline for the projects is under consideration, so as to begin construction of the new courthouse by spring of 2018. The $195 million judicial complex is currently in the design phase with a proposal for a 10-story, 370,000 sq. ft. building with 28 courtrooms. The building will house judges and numerous other departments including court clerk, state's attorney, public defender, court administration, jury commission, court reporters, and probation.

The other capital projects in the works are a satellite courthouse in the northern part of the county and new health department building. The county's population is expected to grow from 700,000 to 1.2 million residents over the next 30 years.

Photo via Will County Board