Suspicious Substances Left @ City Hall & Police Dept.

FRONT ENTRANCE TO CITY HALL AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TEMPORARILY CLOSED

At 12:00 PM, the front (south) entrances to both Freeport City Hall, 314 W. Stephenson Street, and the Freeport Police Department, 320 W. Exchange Street, were temporarily closed due to an ongoing incident. There is no known threat to the public at this time.

UPDATE: On February 14, 2024 at 11:15 AM, an individual entered Freeport City Hall and engaged in a conversation with City staff. The conversation between the individual and staff was odd and the individual discarded an object in the trash can before exiting. The same individual entered City Hall on February 13, 2024 and had a similar encounter with staff. The individual at that time discarded a “bio-hazard” bag that contained an unknown substance. City staff then reported these encounters with the individual to the Freeport Police Department. Shortly after the encounter was reported to the Police Department, Officers learned the same individual entered the Police Department on February 13, 2024 and February 14, 2024 and discarded unknown items into a trash can in the front vestibule.

Freeport Police followed Department protocol by contacting the Freeport Fire Department. The Freeport Fire Department HAZMAT team responded and was able to determine the discarded substances were nothing toxic or threatening.

The Freeport Police Department was able to identify the person of interest and he has been interviewed. There is no threat to the public. The entrances to both Freeport City Hall and the Freeport Police Department reopened to the public at 1:20 PM.