By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ News

The Pontiac Police gained a new officer.

Jace Koerner joined the department in June and finished police training at the end of September. Koerner is originally from Kankakee, but being an officer wasn’t a hard decision to make.

“It’s part of the family business. I have a lot of relatives who are also in the criminal justice field. At a very small age, it’s what I decided I wanted to do, and I worked toward that and it finally came true. The reason a lot of people say they want to get into criminal justice sounds cliché, but it’s actually a great reason. I want to help people, I want to serve my community and this is my way of doing that,” Koerner said.

The department is still seeking qualified applicants to become an officer. More information is available at Pontiac.org.