SIUE police officer among the many helping Hurricane Katrina recovery
Steve Britt
Issue date: 9/15/05 Section: News
An SIUE police officer continues to help in Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Patrolman Nathan Harris was activated as part of the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System, a special tactics unit that responds to terrorist attacks.
According to SIUE Lt. Kevin Schmoll, Harris offered assistance before he was activated.
"He volunteered to go," Schmoll said.
Schmoll said the officer checked in Sept. 5.
"He said conditions were pretty bad at the time," Schmoll said.
Harris' duty over the past weeks has been going from house to house evacuating residents of New Orleans.
The ILEAS officers have been housed at Southeastern Louisiana University.
Phone calls to SELU were answered by Jeff Regan, the officer in charge of logistics for the Illinois State Police.
According to Regan, Harris was in the housing at the time.
"He's actually in the facility. ... He's probably sleeping," Regan said.
Regan would not comment on area conditions and referred all comments to Illinois State Police Public Information Officer Rich Hector. Hector did not immediately return phone calls.
Schmoll said officers would return Thursday for a debriefing in Springfield. He said he expects Harris to be back in this area by Friday.
Patrolman Nathan Harris was activated as part of the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System, a special tactics unit that responds to terrorist attacks.
According to SIUE Lt. Kevin Schmoll, Harris offered assistance before he was activated.
"He volunteered to go," Schmoll said.
Schmoll said the officer checked in Sept. 5.
"He said conditions were pretty bad at the time," Schmoll said.
Harris' duty over the past weeks has been going from house to house evacuating residents of New Orleans.
The ILEAS officers have been housed at Southeastern Louisiana University.
Phone calls to SELU were answered by Jeff Regan, the officer in charge of logistics for the Illinois State Police.
According to Regan, Harris was in the housing at the time.
"He's actually in the facility. ... He's probably sleeping," Regan said.
Regan would not comment on area conditions and referred all comments to Illinois State Police Public Information Officer Rich Hector. Hector did not immediately return phone calls.
Schmoll said officers would return Thursday for a debriefing in Springfield. He said he expects Harris to be back in this area by Friday.