Morris welcomes two officers

The Morris Police Department’s two new officers stuck out from among the other applicants due to their passion.

“Scott Evans stood out for the commission because of his passion to be a police officer and Morris was on the top of his list to become an officer at,” said Chief Brent Dite.

“Patrick Funk was a young kid that was very eager to get into law enforcement, yet his passion was to come back to Morris (where he grew up), which meant a lot,” said Dite.

The officers were sworn into the Morris department by Mayor Richard Kopczick at the July 1 city council meeting. They were chosen by the City of Morris Board of Fire and Police Commissioners, said Dite. About 300 applications were given out and almost 200 actually took the test.

Evans is currently attending the Cook County Sheriff’s Police De- partment Training Academy to become a certified officer. He will be at the academy for 11 weeks. Once that is completed he will begin Morris’ training program.

Funk is already a certified officer and is currently going through the Morris program.

“It’s a lengthy process to become a police officer for any police department, but especially for the city of Morris,” said Dite.

SCOTT EVANS

Evans joins Morris after being a correctional officer for the Cook County Department of Corrections.

“I’ve been trying to be a police officer for the better part of 12 to 14 years,” he said. “It’s a really tough business to get into and Morris is a great town. It’s what I have always wanted to do.”

Evans lived in Morris previously with his family and is excited to return to the community with is wife and four children.

He began to dream of being an officer when he was a kid growing up with his father as a Cook County police officer. His mother was a teacher and always supported his dream as well, he said.

His dream has come true just in time — Evans is 34-years-old and according to state statute, basic recruit academies will no longer accept people at 35.

PATRICK FUNK

Funk, 25, was raised in Morris and was working as an officer in Normal for about nine months. But it was his goal to return to his hometown.

“My family and friends are all here. It’s where I grew up and where I care about,” he said. “I want to do my part to make the area safer. It’s where I am comfortable.”

When Funk first applied, he was not a certified officer yet, but during the application process became one in Normal, which boosted his position on the list of officers from the commission.

“It’s an exciting job. I like the idea of not sitting in the office all day and being outside,” he said.