DISCLAIMER: If you are looking for the official City of Quincy, Illinois web site and the information it contains about the police department, I am sorry to say this is not it.  Please click on this link to go there.  Official City of Quincy web site.

This web site was created, is financed and is maintained solely by me on my personal time without any direction, remuneration or reimbursement  from the Quincy Police Department or the City of Quincy, nor is it sanctioned by or affiliated with the official City of Quincy web site or those responsible for overseeing that site.  All information found within the pages of this site have been chosen by me to present to the reader and have been obtained by me through various public domains available to anyone. The use of the words Quincy, Illinois Police Department are for identification purposes only and are not meant to indicate that the information is being presented by the department.

This Site Updated on 09/02/08    

  Welcome to MY personal web site.

I created this web site because I felt a need to provide information that would be helpful to others and to give an insight into the Quincy Police Department from my point of view.  I wanted to share with everyone what I see as a great department to work for and introduce, with their permission, some of the great people I work with.  Thank You for visiting my site and giving me the opportunity to show you MY Quincy Police Department.

My Beginning with The Quincy Illinois Police Department.

I started my career with the Quincy Police Department  in January of 1980.  I received my training at the  Illinois State Police Academy in the Spring of 1980.  After graduation I returned to the Quincy Police Department and began additional training with a Field Training Officer.  It was during this period that I was taught the city ordinances, the rules of the department and the procedures I would use on the job.

I was back from the academy for about two months, when one day my Lieutenant came up to me and told me to take a squad car and go out on patrol.  He stated they were short on help and they just wanted me to drive around so people would see the squad patrolling.  He went on to tell me that since I was still in training that I was not to do anything but drive around so I would be seen and get gas in the car.  I was following orders when, while on my way to get gas in the squad, I saw a car strike a traffic signal light and then speed away.  I radioed in the incident but there was no one available to help, so I attempted to stop the car myself.  The fleeing driver tried eluding me by driving through the yard of a residence.  He drove between a swing set and the house, fortunately without hitting either one and continued towards the alley.  I decided not to follow him but instead chose to change direction to try and cut him off from where I knew he would be coming back out onto the street.

He was able to get back onto the street before I could cut him off so,  I ended up chasing him for eleven more blocks before he quickly pulled over and stopped.  The passenger bailed out of the car in an attempt to flee and ran face first into a nearby tree knocking himself out.  The driver also attempted to flee but was so drunk that when he tried to get out of the car he tripped over his own feet and fell to the street where I was able to apprehend him.  Other officers arrived just as I  was cuffing the driver.  It ended up that both subjects were wanted. 

That was the start of my twenty years of working the streets. 

In August of 2000 I became the department's new Planning and Research Officer.  The position of Planning and Research is multi-faceted.  I write and review department policy and procedure, apply for and maintain monetary grants, research equipment and new ideas, co-ordinate the departments recruiting efforts, maintain the Mobile Data Computers in the squad cars and act as the computer contact liaison between our department and the City's computer department.  I developed and implemented the change from the departments two large paper issued policy and procedure manuals to issuing policy and procedures on CD-ROM.  I also implemented a service program called the Cellular Life Line Program.  This program provides old, donated cellular phones free of charge to senior citizens and victims of violence.  These phones are capable of only dialing 911 and provides the recipient of a phone a way to call for help.

My position has me working for and answering directly to the Chief of Police. 

I would like to tell you more about MY Quincy Police Department so please check out the different pages of my site. 

I have also provided links to other sites that I hope you will find useful or informative, so check them out on the Other Links Page. 

                           Thank You for visiting my site.

                        James Cress

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