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The governor also announced
that future recruitment efforts will be enhanced under an Illinois
State Police Merit Board rule change that allows veterans'
active-duty time to count toward the mandatory three-year education
or law enforcement service requirement. The new rule broadens the
pool of qualified candidates from which the state police can
recruit, while giving former military personnel an opportunity to
use their experience to continue serving the public.
"By making this change we are able to tap into a source of
well-trained, disciplined individuals who have served our country
and are familiar with the sacrifices that come with protecting the
public," the governor said. "Our returning veterans have experience
working in dangerous situations that require quick and concise
decisions -- skills that are critical to our state police force."
The administrative rule change became effective June 1 and allows
for an applicant's education to be considered acceptable if they
have either an associate's degree or equivalent and three years of
continuous, full-time service as a police officer with the same
police agency or three years of active military duty. The addition
of military service as an option of work experience provides an
opportunity for many veterans to join the state police and begin a
career in law enforcement.
"This is the right thing to do now for our servicemen, state
police and the people of Illinois," said John Rednour, chairman of
the merit board.
The challenges of a career in law enforcement are evident.
Officers must be willing to sacrifice their time with family and
friends, and an average workday can be risky and sometimes
life-threatening.
"We are always looking for qualified individuals who are willing
to take the necessary steps to join our organization," said Trent,
director of the Illinois State Police. "As a veteran, I am pleased
the merit board took this step to broaden the pool of qualified
candidates to protect and serve the citizens of Illinois."
Since January 2003, 115 new officers have joined the ranks of the
Illinois State Police. Cadet Class 110 will be the second class to
go through training during fiscal 2005.
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 During the 26 weeks of training, cadets will undergo a rigorous
regimen of physical and classroom instruction that includes training
in terrorism awareness, domestic violence, critical incident
response, firearms training, first responder certification, the
Illinois Vehicle Code, criminal law, motor carrier safety, emergency
pursuit driving, juvenile law, police response to mental illness and
more. Upon graduating from the academy, the officers will be
assigned to districts across the state.
"We've been working to enhance public safety by strengthening our
laws and investing in initiatives that prevent people from returning
to a life of crime or getting involved with criminals in the first
place," the governor said. "But one of the most important components
of maintaining the people of Illinois' safety is having enough
well-trained officers on duty to protect the public. I want to
congratulate this new class of men and women for making the
commitment to become state police officers and thank them for
dedicating their careers to serving the public."
"I firmly believe the ISP Merit Board has selected an outstanding
group of men and women who are committed to excellence and the high
standards of the ISP in Cadet Class 110," Trent added.
The recruitment process is an ongoing, statewide effort.
Coordinators travel throughout the state to discuss employment
opportunities and provide detailed information about testing and the
subsequent selection process. The merit board's hiring process
consists of the following steps: orientation, a fitness and written
suitability test, background investigation, oral interview, and
final certification to the Illinois State Police. Applicants remain
in the pool for a period of approximately one year from the time of
their orientation, or until a cadet class is scheduled and the
selection process has begun, whichever comes first. All steps in
this process are mandatory and cannot be rescheduled for any reason.
Any person interested in becoming a state trooper may apply by
submitting a pre-employment inquiry application to the merit board.
The application may be requested by calling the merit board at (217)
786-6240 or may be completed online at
www.illinoistrooper.com.
[News release from the governor's
office]
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