Mayor Emanuel, Chicago Fire Commissioner Hoff and Chicago Police Superintendent McCarthy Tour New Public Safety Headquarters That Will Improve Coordination to Enhance Public Safety

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This morning, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago Fire Department (CFD) Commissioner Robert Hoff and Chicago Police Department (CPD) Superintendent Garry McCarthy toured the new Chicago Public Safety Headquarters to see the progress that has been made towards combining Police and Fire command staff into one building to improve coordination between the departments and enhance public safety.

“Not only does this combined headquarters save taxpayer funds by streamlining operations, collaboration and coordination between police and fire are critical to their ability to keep people safe across the city,” said Mayor Emanuel.

CFD command staff will be moving into the second floor of the CPD headquarters building, allowing the existing CPD building to be utilized more effectively and eliminating the substantial cost of the space the CFD was leasing for its headquarters. The consolidation will also:

• Allow for daily interactions and coordinated planning between Police and Fire, which will help identify overlaps and develop a more efficient division of responsibilities;
• Streamline many duplicative administrative functions, including records management, finance operations and medical sections;
• Help specialized sections such as bomb arson and the Marine Unit benefit from joint trainings and response exercises;
• Provide CFD with access to the CPD building’s high-tech command center, 600-seat auditorium, multi-media center and additional administrative offices.

“We look forward to working closely with our partners at the Chicago Fire Department to advance our shared goal of ensuring unparalleled public safety for the people of Chicago,” said Superintendent McCarthy.

“This move not only makes sense from a financial point of view but also for operations and planning efficiency. This is a great facility and we are excited to be in the process of getting things up and running,” said Commissioner Hoff. “The Chicago Police Department has welcomed us and we look forward to a long and prosperous association. The people of Chicago can rest assured that this partnership will provide the best use of both Police and Fire resources.”

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