Du Quoin public safety departments about to be full strength

The Du Quoin police and fire departments will be at full force next month for the first time in years, as the city council on Monday agreed to three hire full-time employees - two police officers and one firefighter.

The city council also hired two part-time officers and two part-time telecommunicators.

Reid Bastien and Cayle Diggins are being hired to the Du Quoin Police Department from the Pinckneyville department, bringing its full-time total to 11 employees. Jordan Nehrkorn will join the Du Quoin Fire Department, bringing its total to seven.

Mayor Guy Alongi said Thursday that the new employees are expected to all be on board by mid-August.

When that happens, he said, every Du Quoin city department will be at full strength.

"I think it says a lot for our city, given where we were in 2015," Alongi said, referring to the city's finances when his administration took office and the gradual building back of fiscal security between 2015 and 2020.

The part-time employees hired on Monday are police officers Nathan L. Bebout and Bryce E. Clarry; and telecommunicators Braylyn G. Funk and Shelby D. Maglich.

Alongi said the salaries and benefits for two full-timers were already budgeted, because they are replacing people who were recently on staff.

In the fire department, Nehrkorn is taking the spot of the retired Rick Loyd; and in the police department, one officer is replacing Detective Phil Schimanski, who retired just last month.

In finding the money for the second full-time officer, Alongi said the council wanted to put public safety first.