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Don Sommers
Director of Communications

Director Sommers began his career with the Addison Police Department on June 12, 1972, when he was hired part time as a Police Cadet, functioning as a dispatcher, working the radio, answering telephones, and handling walk-in traffic in the old Police Department/Village Hall.

He was hired as a Police Officer on May 12, 1973 and as a Police Officer served as an Evidence Technician, Breath Operator, and a Field Training Officer in addition to his regular patrol duties. He received ten Merit Review Awards for his contributions on various cases during his career -- one purple heart, two valor, five Special Recognitions, and one Distinguished Service award -- and is one of the few officers to be involved in a shooting that occurred in 1978.

On March 6, 1984, Director Sommers was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, continuing to work in the Field Services Division on rotating shifts with rotating days off. He attended the ten-week Staff and Command administrative training course at Northwestern University’s Traffic Institute.

On September 21, 1991, Don was reassigned from a Patrol supervisor to become the Criminal Investigations Unit Supervisor. During his tenure in Investigations, he supervised and participated in a multitude of major cases and multi-jurisdictional task forces, including the successful investigation of nine murder cases. He also was instrumental in joining the ILEIN and MOCIC intelligence organizations and became an officer and then president of the Midwest Homicide Investigators Association. He has taught at most of the prior Citizens Police Academies and Senior Citizens Police Academies.

On November 26, 2001, after 28 years of service, Sergeant Sommers retired his commission as a sworn officer to accept the civilian position of Director of Communications.