Du Quoin Police Chief: Concealed carry poses new challenge
Du Quoin Chief of Police Jamie Ellermeyer didn't take a personal stand on the issue of concealed carry, but he did say that more guns on the streets will be a new challenge and he worries about the safety of his officers. "Something can go wrong," he said.
Ellermeyer was the guest of the Du Quoin Chamber of Commerce Wednesday at Red Hawk golf course and advised business owners to check with their insurance carriers as to whether they want guns on business premises.
Ellermeyer touched on testing business burglar alarms and the Street Machine Nationals during the evening's discussions.
The chief thanked the 105 sponsors of the police calendar program, which generates about $5,000 for their community programs include Family Night Out and Shop With a Cop. He said it takes about $4,200 a year for the children's shopping program at WalMart.
The department handles over 20,000 phone calls and walk-is a year. relying on the work of 11 full-time officers, 10 part-time officers and 10 auxiliary to protect the city.
He said he would like business owners who have alarm systems to make an appointment with the department to make sure the alarms are working properly and to check the response time from the security company back to the police station. You can do that by calling the department at 542-2131. He added that the only remaining ordinance affecting the June Street Machine Nationals prohibits camping in Du Quoin during the event.
DHS student speakers for the night were Sydnie Day and Kate Toler.
Letters will be sent out in the near future on participation in the Perry County CEO program. The next meeting on that program will be held on May 27 at Red Hawk.
The chamber welcomed new member Jamie Perryman from Title Max. There will be a ribbon-cutting at the business' location on South Washington Street at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
The next meeting will be held June 6, 2014 at the fairgrounds. It will be a barbecue dinner with newly named SIU president Randy Dunn.