Clarendon Hills Approves Installing Beehives Behind Police Station

(CBS) -- Bees are invading the area around a west suburban police station and officers say, that's just the way they want it, reports WBBM's Cisco Cotto.

Clarendon Hills officials have approved installing beehives on property behind the police station. Police Chief Ted Jenkins is himself an amateur beekeeper.

"When you start talking about honey bees and some of the things that they do, they are fascinating creatures," Jenkins said.

Jenkins says you can get around two five-gallon buckets full of honey each year from just one hive. Schools and boy scouts have already asked about tours.

To those who worry people in the neighborhood will be stung more, Jenkins says, "Honey bees are not carnivorous. They are not aggressive, they are defensive so if you stay away from their hive, you don't mess with their hive, they don't want anything to do with you."

But Jenkins says neighbors should notice more flowers because the bees pollinate.

An outside company will handle the hives and no tax dollars will be used.