During Monday’s City Council Meeting, Police Chief Joe Switzer and Fire Chief Casey Rexroat reflected on challenges their departments have faced recently.
In his June report, Swtizer highlighted the shortage in applicants to the department, and stated that the predicament is not limited to Monmouth.
“We (were supposed to have) officer training but there were only three applications, so we postposed until October,” Switzer said. “This is a nationwide issue. Departments are not having enough qualified applicants. The Galesburg Police Department only had 11 applications turned in. We chose to postpone it so more people can take those today.“
Switzer also discussed the department’s assistance with America’s Run for the Fallen, during which participants run from California to Arlington, Virginia, reading the names of fallen soldiers at every mile. During their run, the department escorted them from Monmouth to Cameron.
Rexroat, in his June report to the council, noted the department’s fleet of fire trucks is rapidly aging, with the trucks well over a decade old.