 The Police Station exterior shots was a real Chicago Police station.  Now no longer used by The City, it was once the home of the 7th  district, located near the old Maxwell Street Market, and is called  the Hill Street Blues Station. It is now used by The UIC police.  During Prohibition, this precinct had a reputation as the most  corrupt precinct in the US. Its Captain once distributed his  personnel list to the Mob bagmen who delivered the payoffs because  they handed money to every cop in the place indiscriminately, and  cops from other stations were showing up on payoff day.