New officer sworn in at Morris City Council Meeting

MORRIS – The Morris Police Department swore in a new officer during Monday’s city council meeting.

The oath was administered by Mayor Chris Brown, who said he was “excited to install” the sixth officer to the department this year.

Officer Anthony Montiel obtained his associate degree in psychology. He moved to Morris to be closer to his family.

“I’ve been with my fiancee for about 11 years now and she made the decision to move out here with her family. After about two years of long distance, I decided to come out here to pursue a career in law enforcement,” Montiel said.

“I tried a couple of times in California, and it wasn’t going the right way, so I took the next step and tried out in Illinois, and here I am today,” he said.

Morris Police Chief Alicia Steffes said, he was hired by the Morris Police Department in May, and graduated from the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn in September, and is currently in a field training program.

Montiel said he is most looking forward to growing into the “best police officer [he] could be” and having the opportunity to grow within the department.

“I had choices of Joliet and here and I chose this because I felt it was more family oriented and not having my family out here, I just felt like a part of the family and that’s one thing I want to do- to be able to grow with this organization and become a really good police officer for this community,” he said.

Steffes said the Morris police department is up to full staffing, with the exception of one school resource officer the Morris City council previously approved.