Geneva’s Wheeler Park to be squad car cleaning scene

The public may notice a heavy police presence Thursday, Sept. 5, at Wheeler Park in Geneva but there is no need to worry because it’s cleaning day for the cars’ interiors.

Hazardous 360, a Yorkville company that cleans up biohazards, will be cleaning the interiors of squad cars from the Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles police departments.

Geneva Deputy Chief Brian Maduzia said in an email that the company is giving back to the community with this free event and will clean about 30 squad cars.

Andrew Witmarsh, president of Hazardous 360, said the company started what they call Operation Sanitization in 2020 during the pandemic to show support for law enforcement.

“There was a lot of negative publicity around law enforcement at that time,” Witmarsh said. “We had to find some way to show our local police and law enforcement support.”

They started vacuuming, cleaning and sanitizing the insides of police cars.

“We did this with the local agencies in our area and it turned out to be a very big success,” Witmarsh said. “And we took that show on the road. ... And we do it as our appreciation, showing our support.”

Four years later, they have cleaned and sanitized the interiors of almost 6,000 police cars for about 300 agencies, he said.

The police agencies will be bringing in their squad cars in intervals from 8 a.m. to noon in the north parking lot, 822 N. First St.

Wheeler Park patrons should use the south parking lot off North Street during this time.

For more information, call the Geneva Police Department at 630-232-4736.