It was quiet in Lake Forest on Thursday-just the way Police Chief Bob Boone likes it-with little chatter over the radio for the dispatcher to handle.
At the same time, Boone was wondering what the dispatchers were doing elsewhere along the North Shore.
“There must be six dispatchers working in Lake Forest, Lake Bluff and elsewhere along the North Shore. None of them real busy. It’s kind of foolish,” Boone said.
Boone’s remarks were not unsolicited. He was asked what he thought about a proposal to consolidate his dispatch service with the fire and police dispatches in Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, Mundelein, Gurnee, Hawthorn Woods and Northbrook.
By merging the 911 dispatch facilities, a consultant said, the towns could save between 15 and 50 percent on the cost of emergency dispatch services.
Lake Forest city officials said Wednesday they favor the consolidation, if the city can keep the same level of service and do it for less money. City manager Robert Kiely said the study would also tell officials whether they would need to build a facility to house the dispatch service.
But the communities can save money only if they are willing to make what can be a difficult political decision, said Matthew Kovar, a senior consultant with Monahan and Associates, the Hinsdale firm that Kiely said is likely to conduct the study.
The communities must eliminate a front desk person during the night, a move that sometimes makes residents feel they are losing service, Kovar said.
Boone said that eliminating the front desk person might not be a bad idea for his department, which handles about three “walk-ins” a night.
Next door in Lake Bluff, Chief Fred Day was open to whatever the study might reveal, but had some reservations.
“Anything that closes the front door of the police station for any amount of time I’m against,” said Day, whose front door is open 16 hours a day.
Although Day has doubts about the consolidation saving money, he favors the study.
“The managers want to take a look at it, and that’s good business,” Day said.
Boone agreed.
“In these days of extended surcharges and 5 percent tax caps, you have to find a way to stretch those available dollars,” he said.
On the fire department side, Gurnee Fire Chief Tim McGrath was reservedly excited.
“My experience has been where there has been cooperation, it has been very positive,” McGrath said. “The track record of fire services is commendable when it comes to saving resources. We have always cooperated.”
While police occasionally have been known to protect their territories during a major investigation, fire departments are seldom wary of competition, McGrath says.
“Fire service has long since gotten beyond what side of the road a fire is on. In 25 years, I have never seen a case where someone (whose house is on fire) came up and said, `Wait a minute, that fire truck says Waukegan and I called Gurnee.’ “
The communities hope to have the study, which will cost Lake Forest $1,800, completed in 60 days, according to Kiely.
Tribute to Foreman: About 1,200 of Fred Foreman’s friends, family and perhaps even former foes will fete the outgoing U.S. attorney the evening of March 19 at the White Eagle Banquet Hall, 6845 N. Milwaukee Ave., Niles. Foreman leaves the top prosecutor’s spot to join the Chicago law firm of Freeborn & Peters on April 5.
New chief: Gene Kelly has been named the first full-time police chief in Round Lake Heights. Kelly will command two full-time patrol officers, as the town of 1,300 has phased out its part-time police staff and its partial dependence on the sheriff’s office for patrol duties.
