FORMER SCOTT CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT SERGEANT BECOMES CHIEF

SCOTT CITY -- Robert Elledge, a former sergeant with the Scott City Police Department, is now the department's chief.

Elledge was sworn in Tuesday after being appointed to the position by the City Council. He has been with the department for 14 years, starting as a patrolman in 1978.

"I think after 14 years a man has proven his loyalty to the town he works for," Elledge said. "I know pretty well how everything needs to be run."

Elledge was recommended for the position by the city's Police Personnel Board.

Larry Angle, the board's chairman, said advertisements for the position garnered only three applications.

"There wasn't an abundance of applications," Angle said, adding the salary for the chief is "pretty low" at just over $20,000.

"I think (the salary) had something to do with it," Angle said. "That's lower than other departments pay their chiefs."

But he said Elledge stood out as the best candidate.

"He knows the town, and he's done a good job in the time he's been interim chief," he said.

The former chief, David Beck, resigned April 15 to work in security in St. Louis. He had been with the department for 10 years.

Elledge said complaints concerning patrolmen and reserve officers have been down in the past two months.

"I think we're getting back to normal," he said. "As far as I'm concerned the department has been running very well and will continue to run well."

Last week the department arrested two people for attempting to smuggle six pounds of cocaine. A gun and $167 in cash was also confiscated.

The two were stopped by a Scott City police officer along Interstate 55 and are charged with drug trafficking and armed criminal action.

Elledge said training programs for reserve officers have improved the department's image with the citizens of Scott City. Citizen complaints about reserve officers were a major subject of controversy earlier this year and were a regular subject of discussion at City Council meetings.

People had complained to council members that the officers were not adequately trained and needed more supervision by regular members of the department. Elledge responded by requiring all reserve officers to receive training in driving skills and public relations.

Angle said the training programs have left the department with a better, more professional image.

"Since (Elledge) has taken over, the department has been operating very smoothly," he said. "After 14 years there's going to be very little new to him."

Elledge, who was a sergeant in the department, has been working as acting chief in the 2 months since Beck's resignation. He became a corporal after four years as a patrolman, and was then promoted to sergeant. He lived in Cape Girardeau before moving to Scott City when he began working for the department.

The City Council appointed Elledge at a closed session Monday night, held to discuss personnel matters.