Two part-timers join city's police pool

The Du Quoin Police Department has added two part-time people to its pool of workers to draw on when the department needs someone to pick up a shift. The city council has approved adding a part-time officer and a part-time police dispatcher to the pool, bringing the total to seven. Pool workers fill in for police employees who on vacation or out sick, or just help fill the ranks when the regular force can't cover all the necessary patrol shifts. Commissioner Mike Ward said the pool part-timers cost the city less money than having an employee cover an extra shift on overtime. A Du Quoin firefighter retired recently and a Du Quoin police officer retired last year, and neither of those employees have been replaced.