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ISP answers all Alexander County police calls

By Carly O'Keefe

ALEXANDER COUNTY, IL (KFVS) – Illinois State Police hit the road in Alexander County to fill the gap in service as sheriff's deputies still can't fuel up their squad cars.

Patrols have changed in ISP's District 22. Now instead of covering all seven southern Illinois counties in the district evenly, one county is getting a lot more attention.

"In Alexander County without the local sheriff's department able to respond to the level they have… we've been answering all the emergency calls, in-progress crime calls and requests for service," said ISP Lt. Steve Shields.

He does mean all calls. Troopers aren't just providing back up during major incidents or expertise in investigations. With Alexander County squad cars parked, ISP is getting a lot of calls they normally wouldn't see.

"Kids fighting with kids, dogs at large, dangerous dogs, stuff that is usually handled by local authorities," said Shields.

Shields says District 22 has adjusted and troopers have adapted to the new patrols, although it has led to some working overtime to cover all the calls that come in.

"It has demanded more resources and more time and it's because we do cover seven counties in the district," Shields said. "Troopers may have to travel a distance from other counties to handle the call."

But it's something Shields says they're willing to do to help out; because troopers know Alexander County deputies would be out on the streets if they could.