Oran mayor says police chief may step down

He said Marc Tragesser has been sworn in as a deputy in a Southeast Missouri sheriff's office.

By MATT SANDERS

Southeast Missourian

ORAN, Mo. -- Oran's police chief may be leaving his current office soon to work for another police agency.

Oran Mayor Tom Urhahn said Friday that city police chief Marc Tragesser has been sworn in as a deputy in a Southeast Missouri sheriff's office. Urhahn said Tragesser will likely resign or be asked to give up his post by the board of aldermen the next time the board meets Nov. 7. He said no official action has been taken yet.

City regulations passed earlier this year prevent Tragesser from working more than two days a week at a job besides his police chief position. Those two days could not be consecutive days.

The regulations were created in response to Tragesser working part time at other police departments while he served as the town's police chief.

Urhahn said he wasn't sure which county Tragesser has become a deputy in.

Before going to work in Oran, Tragesser spent time as a police officer in Charleston and East Prairie, both in Mississippi County.

Despite repeated requests, the Mississippi County Sheriff's Department wouldn't confirm if Tragesser had been sworn in as a deputy there.

Tragesser has been police chief in Oran since July 2005, when he took over for the retiring Howard Stevens. Stevens was chief in the town of about 2,000 people for nearly 30 years before Tragesser took over.

Controversy has plagued Tragesser since he began the job in Oran. Some residents complained Tragesser was targeting certain people and playing favorites, and other residents thought Tragesser's approach to law enforcement was overzealous.

Other residents praised the job Tragesser was doing, leading to a rift in the small community.

Tragesser was unavailable for comment Friday, and calls to several Oran aldermen were not returned. Alderwoman Brenda Cook said she would not comment until all the facts were in and official action was taken.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182