January 3, 2024 –Decatur police have four new officers after a swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday.
Newly sworn-in officers Kaitlyn Eubanks, Keyara Bullock, Jakob Prater, and Kenneth Alepra will join the ranks of the Decatur Police Department after being sworn in by the Decatur city clerk during a ceremony in the City Council chambers Wednesday.
Decatur Police Chief Shane Brandel said the biggest thing they look for in a new officer is their ability to communicate and connect. “We are in an era of new policing and it’s nice to have people who want to step up and do this job,” Brandell said. “It’s an honorable and noble profession and it’s always exciting when we have new officers that want to come on and serve their city.”
New officer Kenneth Alepra said the decision to choose Decatur was the logical choice. “My family lives nearby and it’s a good location for me. I’m also a member of the Air National Guard in Springfield.”
The new officers will begin their training on Sunday, January 7th at the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, where they will undergo 16 weeks of training before beginning 4-5 months of in-service training with the Decatur Police.
Brandel said the Decatur Police are always hiring. Interested applicants or people interested in learning more can go to decaturil.gov/police.
*By Traymar Brown
