The Illinois State Police broke ground on a new Metro East Regional Headquarters in East St. Louis on Thursday, a $55 million project the agency says will boost public safety and spur economic development in the region.
The facility will be located at 2501 Lynch Ave. in East St. Louis. Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, the Capitol Development Board and other officials joined ISP for the groundbreaking.
The headquarters will be about 60,000 square feet and will house ISP patrol, investigations and 911 communications, along with an indoor training facility that includes an interactive simulator. The main building will be part of a complex that also includes a communication tower and a generator for emergency services.
The project is part of Rebuild Illinois, the state's $45 billion capital plan for state facilities, roads, bridges, railroads, universities and early childhood centers.
"This state-of-the-art regional headquarters will strengthen the Illinois State Police's ability to respond to emergencies and prevent crime in the Metro East and reflects our lasting commitment to investing in public safety across the state," Gov. JB Pritzker said in the release.
Stratton said the headquarters will place the agency closer to where public safety improvements are needed most. "Thanks to Rebuild Illinois, the ISP East St. Louis Headquarters will equip the agency with more resources and in closer proximity to where public safety improvements are needed most," she said.
Crime reduction efforts
ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly said the headquarters will enhance crime prevention in East St. Louis and surrounding communities. He pointed to the Public Safety Enforcement Group, a partnership between ISP and community stakeholders created in 2020 to combat gun violence.
According to the release, homicides in East St. Louis decreased 56% and non-fatal shootings dropped 61% from 2020 through 2025. ISP said homicides reached their lowest level in at least 45 years, and in 2025 special agents cleared 100% of the year's homicides for the first time. ISP noted those figures are based on all available records it maintains.
State Sen. Christopher Belt, D-Swansea, said the project represents a significant investment in the future of East St. Louis and the safety of the entire Metro East community.
Land and timeline
The state purchased the land for $1 from Lansdowne UP, a private nonprofit operating since 2008 whose stated mission is to transform the Lansdowne neighborhood of East St. Louis into a thriving community with jobs, workforce development and housing.
CDB Executive Director TJ Edwards said the board is proud to collaborate with ISP to deliver the project and meet the operational needs of the agency's divisions.
Completion is projected for summer 2028, when ISP will move from its outdated facility in Collinsville to the new East St. Louis headquarters.
More information is available at isp.illinois.gov.
Source: the original release