Police business was front and center Tuesday at the La Grange Park Village Board workshop.
Two probationary police officers were sworn as regular officers and the Police Department received a First in Nation National Night Out trophy for its efforts in the nationwide program.
“I’m excited,” new patrolman Robert Weber said after the meeting. “I’ve wanted to be a police officer since I was little and this is a sort of ‘I made it’ moment.”
Weber and Christopher Cooper were both hired by the department May 3, 2021, completing the Cook County Sheriff’s Department Police Training Academy and graduating Aug. 19.
Weber, 25, graduated from Riverside Brookfield High School before attending Western Illinois University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree with a major in Criminal Justice and a minor in Security.
His previous employment was as a floating store manager for Jimmie Johns, and he’ll be assigned to the day shift wearing Badge Number 333.
Cooper, 24, graduated from Lyons Township High School and also earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Illinois, also majoring in Criminal Justice, but with a double minor in Homeland Security and Psychology.
Before being hired on to the La Grange Park Department, Cooper was employed at the Illinois State Department of Corrections, Statesville prison for two years.
He’ll work the afternoon shift wearing Badge Number 334.
Before the swearing-in, Village President James Discipio told the new hires that they were joining a top-shelf Police Department.
“We have one of the best police departments that you two are joining,” he said.
Cooper said his new position was a definite step up from the Department of Corrections.
“I actually want to go to work every day now,” he said. “I always knew a career in law enforcement was what I wanted, but not specifically as a police officer until I came to La Grange Park. I appreciate the small things.”
Weber talked about serving the citizens of La Grange Park and making a difference in people’s modern-day perceptions of police.
“I want to change the view people have of police,” he said, noting that that would be a challenge “especially today.”
Sgt. Matt Fellers accepted the National Night Out trophy for the Department. He’s been the lead organizer for the event for the last four years and involved with it for eight.
The La Grange Park award was First in the Nation in the category of towns with population from 5,000 to 15,000.
Fellers credited in-town businesses and corporate sponsors like Hancock Engineering and Central Federal Savings for helping to keep the event alive.
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“They’re what really makes it happen,” Fellers said.
He credited last’s year combination of a staging a virtual event along with the partnership with the Special Olympics for elevating National Night Out to greater levels than previous years.
“As a police department, we are always looking to strengthen the relationship between the community and the police,” Fellers said. “Community above all.”
The next La Grange Park Village Board meeting will be 7:30 p.m. April 26, at 447 N. Catherine Ave., in the Village Board room.
Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.