The Pana Police Department is working to protect the community during a summer busy with events despite staffing shortages.  While the agency did recently hire a new officer in Alexander Rodgers, retirements and temporary leaves have forced them to rely in part on county-level support.  Pana Police Chief Daniel Bland says the department had searched for some time for new hires before finalizing the hiring of Rodgers. 

Chief Bland adds that a decrease in demand for law enforcement roles added to the challenge of filling the long-term opening. 

In addition to events in the city, officers have recently spent a greater share of time patrolling near the ongoing construction on Illinois Route 29 on the west side of Pana.  The work has reduced a portion of the road to one lane only. 

With 2026’s peak summer months having arrived, the Pana Police Department is seeing a greater prevalence of electric bicycles, as is the case elsewhere.  In Pana, these methods of transportation cannot be operated in the city’s business district. 

The department has also seen a rise in scams involving private sales of goods in the city.  Chief Bland urges buyers to carry out exchanges in public areas that have surveillance and recommends the police department as one such location. 

More information on the Pana Police Department is available at www.cityofpana.org/police-department.

Police Chief Daniel Bland appeared as a guest on the WTIM Pana Morning Show.