Another law enforcement official in the Clinton Police Department has retired, leaving Clinton's head law enforcement officer scrambling now to fill two positions.

Earlier this summer Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers reported the retirement of Sgt. Tom Anderson and this month reports Det. Todd Ummell has retired as well. On the WHOW Morning Show Wednesday, Chief Lowers wished Ummell well as not only a colleague but a friend. 

According to Chief Lowers, the latest retirement in his department is a trend that is taking place across the country in law enforcement agencies everywhere. He notes officials up for retirement are moving those plans up. Despite the negativity towards law enforcement across the country, the Chief believes the Clinton and DeWitt County communities are very pro-law enforcement.

Chief Lowers points out one of the top challenges facing the losses of law enforcement officers is the experience these departments are losing. While police training is so much better than it was, the experience of their veterans is hard to duplicate.

The Chief also notes trends in crime have shifted in recent years. 20-plus years ago officers dealt with crimes that had a lot of substance abuse connections but now the trends are shifting to mental and emotional wellness issues, something many veteran officers have not been trained in as extensively as younger officers.