Oglesby gets new officer, new squad car; council pushes back against comments department is ‘overstaffed’

Oglesby has a new police officer and soon will have a new squad car.

Monday, officer Dakotah Baker was sworn in as the city’s newest officer during the Oglesby City Council meeting. Baker is a DePue native who started his law enforcement career with the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office. He left after four years to work in Oglesby, where he resides with wife Megan.

I like living in a safe town with updated equipment for our officers to use when needed”

—  Don Finley, commissioner

Immediately after installing Baker, the Oglesby City Council placed on file the purchase of a new squad car. Fully equipped, the purchase price is $71,377 and will be split between the city and the police department’s drug seizure fund. A final vote approving the purchase is expected next month.

“So Dakotah is getting the car?” Commissioner Tony Stefanelli joked, drawing laughter.

The laughter subsided when Commissioner Don Finley addressed external complaints the police department is “overstaffed.” Outside law enforcement officers, Finley said, have said the city has a disproportionately high number of sworn officers.

Finley pushed back against such reports.

“I like living in a safe town with updated equipment for our officers to use when needed,” Finley said, inviting outside officers to consider transferring to Oglesby. “Maybe they’d like to work for a great department like we have.”

Mayor Jason Curran said the external feedback was sent his way. Though he does not believe the police department is overstaffed – “I think we have the safest and greatest community that exists, so our police department is obviously doing something right” – he felt obliged to convey the comments.

“I have had several police officers from outside of our department talk to me about the size of our staffing and our amount of resources such as vehicles for a city our size,” Curran said. “I thanked them all for their feedback. I then gave that information to [former] police Commissioner [Terry Eutis], so he could at least be aware some viewpoints outside of Oglesby.”