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ALTON – The Alton Police Department has a newly appointed Deputy Chief.
Lieutenant Dustin Christner was officially appointed as Deputy Chief of Police at Wednesday’s Alton City Council meeting. Chief Jarrett Ford spoke highly of Christner not only as an officer, but as a person.
“I’m extremely happy and excited to have you as the Deputy Chief of the Alton Police Department,” Ford said, describing Christner as “honest, loyal, dedicated, a hard worker, and honestly, to me, a friend.”
“There are very few people that I trust as much as this man,” Ford added. “He is a man of honor and faith and I know he’s going to do a great job in this position.”
Noting the fellow officers present, Ford said: “This room is filled with the men and women that keep this city safe day in and day out … I appreciate you guys taking time out of your schedule, not only for this great night for him, but also just as a showing that the Police Department stands united and we’re one hell of a team.”
After Ford spoke, Christner’s wife did the honors of pinning on his badge as attendees erupted into applause. Christner then stood for photos before shaking hands with each City Council member.
Last month, Christner earned special recognition from Sacred Spaces for establishing a First Responder Bible Study open to any and all local first responders. He and Lieutenant Seth Stinnett were honored for their roles in leading wellness initiatives within the department.
A full recording of the May 28, 2025 Alton City Council meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.
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