State grant jump-starts plan for new $10.5 million Shiloh police station

Now that the state has released $4 million to Shiloh in a grant for construction of a new police station, the village is moving forward to secure additional funding for the estimated $10.5 million, state-of-the-art facility.

Pending Village Board approval of the plan, Shiloh Mayor Robert Weilmuenster estimated that a groundbreaking could take place in either June or July, with targeted completion in late 2027.

State Sen. Christopher Belt, D-Swansea, announced the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity grant Wednesday.

Belt and state Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, told the village in March 2024 that they were working on securing $4.75 million in funding, with $650,000 going for upgrades to Yorktown Golf Course and $100,000 allocated for removal of derelict property at the chosen police station site, a former mobile home park.

“As Shiloh continues to grow, we have a responsibility to ensure our law enforcement officers have a facility that matches the needs of the community,” Belt said.

“This funding will allow us to construct a new police facility that will serve our officers and residents for generations to come. Their support reflects a strong commitment to public safety and to our community. They have been tremendous partners, and we thank them for their efforts,” Weilmuenster said.

Both Belt, a former police officer, and Hoffman, former director of probation and court services in the 20th Judicial Circuit Court, stressed the importance of giving police the necessary tools to do their jobs during their last meeting with officials.

The rapid growth of Shiloh, which reached a population of 14,098 in the 2020 census, has made this a top priority, Weilmuenster said.

For the past 14 years, the Shiloh Police Department has operated out of a rented facility on the Wilke Window and Door property at 3498 Lebanon Ave., a space that the mayor said they have outgrown.

The rent is $45,459 per year and increases 2.5% annually, the mayor said.

Both Weilmuenster and Police Chief Rich Wittenauer have stressed that a good facility would help retain and attract new officers, pointing out how inadequate the building is to operate effectively in modern times.

The police department currently employs 23 officers and two clerks. Wittenauer, who has been with the village since 2017, said the department needs more staff and technology upgrades. He noted the lack of space for training or if the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis is called in to assist with an investigation.

The building also lacks a sally port, which is a secure and controlled entryway to escort prisoners in and out of a police station. A closet is currently being used as a holding cell.

“The new building will be state of the art. It will have a sally port, check-in area, forensics and more space. It will be 17,000 square feet compared to the 1,900 square feet it has now,” Weilmuenster said.

The new building will be constructed at 105 S. High St., the former Shiloh Mobile Home Park, which had been owned and operated by George Portz since 1988 and, before that, by his parents, Harold and Kathaleen Portz, who moved to Shiloh in 1964.

Portz died at age 70 on Jan. 9, 2023, and his daughter, Kaitlin Huelsman of Freeburg, who manages the estate, sold the property to the village.

“It’s 5-plus acres, centrally located and has two entrances. It’s behind Circle K and near the cemetery,” Weilmuenster said.

“A new facility will help us recruit. It will help us be more efficient, and interest should increase about it being a nice place to work,” Wittenauer said. “It will be more secure for us and our visitors, and officer morale will improve.”

As for additional funding, he said the village will use bonds.

Weilmuenster said village officials have been working with FMG Engineering, which specializes in municipal infrastructure, on the plans. FMG oversaw construction of Highland’s new public safety building, which opened in November 2021.

Holland Construction is the construction manager, and he said bids will go out soon.