Village of Round Lake Beach Police Department Information

The Village of Round Lake Beach employed its first police officer in 1937 in the form of a town marshal. This officer patrolled the Village by foot or in his own car. In 1952 a separate police department was formed to patrol the area around the lake itself but was disbanded in about 1960. In 1958 the Department finally created its own dispatch point based out of then police officer Chris Clemmon's home; his wife Eleanor Clemmons was the dispatcher. Malcolm Nelson was the first police chief from the late 40's. Other chiefs were Clarence Yeager and Frank Kelly who would watch for the porch light to come on at his home before the radio system was installed. Harry Clayburn, Carl Schmidt and Clarence Folgers (1964) were also previous police chiefs. In 1964 it was given its first jail cell from the Chicago Police Department's Madison Street Station. Round Lake Beach was the largest community in population in west Lake County with 6,011 in its population, as of the 1962 census, and the largest community in land area as the result of aggressive annexation policy of that administration. With the commercial growth of Rollins Road and North Cedar Lake Road, the village was coming into its own as a business community.

Since 2003 the Police Department has set and surpassed a series of objectives for itself, which are established by the Village Board and the leadership of the Department. The Department's shared goals and accomplishments would not be possible were it not for the dedication and perseverance of the 50 employees assigned to the Police Department to protect this village each day. The Department draws its funding from the general budget of the Village and from special revenues such as grants and seizures. The 2008 / 09 operating budget is $6.2 million dollars. The Department has a fleet of 17 vehicles on the front line composed of marked patrol units, evidence technician vehicle, truck enforcement vehicle, and Community Service Officers Trucks.

Today, the Department has authorized 45 full time police officers who are ready to solve problems and act as a resource for the community.