May 30, 2025
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Longtime Oswego police commissioner honored for his efforts

Ron Elvin served on commission for 10 years

By Eric Schelkopf
In honoring him for his 10 years of service on the Oswego Police Commission, Oswego Police Chief Jason Bastin presents Ron Elvin with a shadow box during the May 27 Oswego Village Board meeting.

In honoring him for his 10 years of service on the Oswego Police Commission, Oswego Police Chief Jason Bastin presents Ron Elvin with a shadow box during the May 27 Oswego Village Board meeting. (Eric Schelkopf)

As a member of the Oswego Police Commission, Ron Elvin dedicated the last 10 years of his life to making sure the village had a strong police department.

The Police Commission is in charge of hiring the department’s police officers. During the May 27 Oswego Village Board meeting, Elvin was honored for the time he served on the commission.

He had been chairman of the Police Commission.

“Out of our current 53 officers, Ron hired 27 of them, more than half,” Oswego Police Chief Jason Bastin noted during the meeting. “He was involved in the selection process for six out of our eight current sergeants...You really cared about what you were doing and it definitely showed.”

As Bastin noted, Elvin got on the Oswego Police Commission about the same time Jeff Burgner became Oswego police chief. Bastin became Oswego police chief in September 2023 following the retirement of Burgner.

Bastin read some comments from Burgner regarding Elvin’s time on the Police Commission.

“Ten years is an extremely long time to serve on any community commission and you served the Oswego Police Commission with compassion, professionalism and respect while always putting the best interests of the village and the Oswego Police Department at the forefront,” he said. “The dedication you have shown toward hiring and promoting the best candidates to serve the village has been second to none.”

Also honoring Elvin was Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman.

Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman, far right, honors Ron Elvin, far left, for his 10 years of service on the Oswego Police Commission during the May 27 Oswego Village Board meeting.

Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman, far right, honors Ron Elvin, far left, for his 10 years of service on the Oswego Police Commission during the May 27 Oswego Village Board meeting. (Eric Schelkopf)

“A little known fact is that Ron replaced me on the Police Commission,” he said. “I got a chance to see first hand how much work these guys do on the Police Commission. They put in so much time and so many hours going through these very, very thick packets in order for someone to become a police officer with our Oswego Police Department. So 10 years, as Jason said, is a very, very long time to be doing that. It’s so commendable and so appreciated.”

Bastin presented Elvin with a shadow box that contained such items as his police commission badge.

“It’s been a great honor for me to be able to serve the community,” Elvin said after being honored. “Thank you to the community.”