A new police substation officially opened Tuesday on the border of North Chicago and Waukegan, which is in a high-crime area that officials aim to revitalize.
The North Chicago City Council approved the lease of a building at 901 10th Street in North Chicago during a council meeting in October.
The building was a former Boost Mobile store and was left vacant after the company closed the store.
The North Chicago Police Department will operate inside the building, which will also be used as a community resource center.
Police officials said the department’s focus will be safety and security in and around the 10th Street area.
Officers aim to disrupt drug dealing, gangs and prostitution in the area.
Police will also work in conjunction with various community partners to provide services in the area.
Officers will work with new and existing business owners and landlords to provide them with resources to help revitalize 10th Street and the surrounding area, according to the police department.
The building will host community and other events in the future. “[We] look forward to establishing partnerships and working with the residents, business owners, landlords, social services and others,” the department said.
North Chicago Police Chief Lazaro Perez said the substation will be open to the Waukegan Police Department and Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The substation officially launched on Tuesday and numerous officials and community members were on hand to celebrate the launch.
North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham introduced the community to the new facility, which “goes far beyond policing.”
AbbVie donated significant time and resources to make the project a reality, city officials said.