Streator Police Department looking to add investigator after recent gun violence

Streator officials are exploring the possibility of adding another investigator to the police department within the next year, as concerns grow over recent incidents of gun violence in the area.

Since the beginning of October, Streator police have responded to at least five separate calls of shots fired, most resulting in property damage and one injury – including gunfire reports Saturday, Oct. 5; Sunday, Oct. 6; and Thursday, Oct. 10.

During a public meeting Oct. 15 at City Hall, which saw more than 100 residents gather to discuss solutions to the recent shootings, La Salle County State’s Attorney Joe Navarro said he believes the Streator Police Department is undermanned.

“They are working hard and making arrests, but they’re undermanned,” Navarro said during the meeting. “Whether through taxes or grants, it’s essential to find ways to support them. These officers are working 12-hour shifts, and many are young and require more training in investigations.”

The Streator Police Department employs one full-time investigator, Sgt. Ryne Reel, with another on-call investigator available when needed. The department has a total of 24 officers working 12-hour shifts, with three to four officers assigned to each shift.

In contrast, nearby communities in the Illinois Valley, such as Ottawa, Peru and La Salle, have five, three and two full-time investigators, respectively. Peru and La Salle are smaller communities than Streator.

Mayor Tara Bedei said these departments likely benefit from larger tax bases, which allow for increased funding for law enforcement and while the city has made efforts to add officers and resources in recent years, financial constraints play a role in these decisions.

“We have to consider what the community can support through property taxes,” she said. “Of course we want more resources, but we need to figure out how to fund that first.”

While acknowledging the city’s financial constraints that limit hiring because of the tax base, Bedei and Franklin confirmed they’ve had discussions regarding the potential addition of another investigator sometime next year, whether it be through a new hire or promotion.

“If we could pull one officer off the street and make him a full-time investigator, it would certainly help,” Franklin said.

City Manager David Plyman also acknowledged the challenges of balancing resources across the city’s departments.

He indicated that while the city has added eight officers in recent years (as some officers also have left the department during this time) and is open to hiring or promoting another investigator, the budget must be considered.

Specifically, Plyman said Streator is facing a decrease in funding because of a population decline reflected in the 2020 census, alongside rising costs in health insurance and pensions.

“These factors impact our ability to add employees in any department,” he said. “There’s only so much money to go around.”

As the city enters budget season, officials are hopeful that discussions will lead to the addition of another investigator.