Continue reading to learn more about what it takes to become a police officer in Illinois. The requirements for becoming a police officer have been outlined by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, which oversees the state’s law enforcement. They are your masters.” – Paul Huebl, former Chicago Police Officer, Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes333051.htm#st, https://www.cookcountysheriff.org/departments/c-c-s-p-d/, https://www.aurora-il.org/342/Police-Department, https://rockfordil.gov/city-departments/police/, https://www.projectionscentral.com/projections/longterm, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_il.htm#otherlinks, Be a US citizen either by birth or naturalization, Be 21 years of age or older at the time of hire, Complete an approved basic training course within six months of initial hire, Not have any felony convictions nor convictions of disqualifying misdemeanors, Hold, with a GPA average of a C or better, a bachelor’s degree OR an associate’s degree in law enforcement/criminal justice plus three years of service as a police officer or in the military OR have a distinguished record of military service within ISP hiring guidelines, Have uncorrected vision at a minimum of 20/40 and aided vision correctable to 20/20, Be willing to accept an assignment anywhere in the state, Can not have ever been classified as a conscientious objector by a local draft board, Can not concurrently hold the office of county treasurer, Can not, after appointment, appear in court as an attorney, nor become security for individuals in any legal proceedings, Can not, after appointment, purchase property at any sheriff’s sale, Hold a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card (FOID) or be able to obtain such a card prior to certification, Not have ever sold illegal drugs nor used illegal drugs within a timeframe acceptable to the Merit Board, Not have extensive debt or a history of financial negligence, Be a current resident of Illinois by the time of placement on the candidate list, Be, or become within one year of hire, a resident within the boundaries of DuPage, Kane, Cook, Kendall, or Northern Will County, Hold at least an associate’s degree or 60 semester hours from an accredited university or college OR have completed three consecutive years on active duty in the US Armed Forces, Be at least 20 years of age but not more than 35 years of age at the time they take the written exam, Have a 2.5 (out of 4.0) or better high school GPA or a GED with a composite score of 2480 or better, or have 16 college credit hours with a GPA of 2.5 or better, Have vision correctable to 20/20 with normal depth perception, field of vision, and color vision, Be between 21 and 34 years old (there may be exceptions made for US veterans and those with prior law enforcement experience), Be willing to work any of the RPD’s three 10-hour shift assignments, Cook County Sheriff’s Bureau of Training & Education, Police Academy – River Grove, IL, Illinois State Police Academy – Springfield, IL, Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center – Decatur, IL, Police Training Institute – Champaign, IL, Southwestern Police Academy – Belleville, IL, Suburban Law Enforcement Academy – Glen Ellyn, IL. Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. Approved police training academies in Illinois include: Read more about approved police training academies in Illinois on the ILETSB website. All rights reserved. To become a police officer in Illinois, you must meet the following basic requirements: Be a US citizen either by birth or naturalization. There are over 100 counties in Illinois and most have an elected sheriff. 5. The waiver application filed on behalf of the officer by his new employing agency is seeking a waiver of that training responsibility due to previous training. Applicants will not be required to fulfill the above stated requirements in the following circumstances: *These educational requirements have been outlined by the Illinois State Police Merit Board. The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board oversees the state’s law enforcement hiring process by setting basic standards of eligibility. This high-quality resident program utilizes current principles of adult learning to prepare students for classes, allowing us to optimize performance-based, hands-on instructional … Candidates need to be a citizen of the United States. Physical Requirements The minimum age required is about 18-21 years, depending on the department you are applying to. Chicago Police Department: https://home.chicagopolice.org/ 6. The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, in recognizing the importance of physical fitness status for academy performance (and eventual job performance), has established the Peace Officer Wellness Evaluation Report (POWER) test for entering any of the Illinois certified police academies. I was a successful police officer because I stopped trying to be what I believed I was supposed to be and started being authentic.” – Commander with the Aurora, Illinois Police Department, “Real strength can only be achieved if you have the respect of the citizens you serve. The applicant has to be of good moral character and shares the same value as the Illinois police. Full-time, temporary, and part-time jobs. For individuals who want to learn about how to become a police officer in Illinois, the following information would be quite helpful. Candidates are required to have an uncorrected vision of minimum 20/40 and an aided corrected vision of 20/20. These investigators shall have a minimum of 5 years of experience in conducting criminal investigations. To ensure this, the selection process includes a Physical Ability Tests or (PAT). The Illinois State Police Merit Board has set the following minimum requirements for persons applying for an Illinois State Trooper position: Applicant must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age. The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board has established the Peace Officer Wellness Evaluation Report for entering any of the Illinois certified police academies. Over 2,000 men and women work for the ISP.2. In order to work in the sheriff’s department in Cook County, candidates must meet the requirements set by the state and the Cook County Sheriff’s Merit Board. The current Police Chief of Aurora is Kristen Ziman, a 25-year veteran of the Aurora PD. To become an Illinois State Police officer, candidates must be 21 years of age and a citizen of the United States, have no felony convictions, possess a valid driver’s license, and be willing to accept assignment anywhere in Illinois. Projections Central: https://www.projectionscentral.com/projections/longterm 9. Aurora Police Department: https://www.aurora-il.org/342/Police-Department 7. Competitive salary. The youngest age mandated is around 18-21 years but this is decided by which department you sent an application to. The Police Department in Illinois has 21 districts and is the fifth largest police force in the country. Following this, you may go for the following educational options: Option 1: A 4-year long Bachelor’s degree in a field related to law enforcement, such as criminal justice or forensic science. In late 2010, an opinion by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan affirmed a state law that requires any auxiliary police to be state certified officers. To be considered for hire, applicants must: Be a US permanent resident (citizenship not required; Be … Because the job of a police officer is physically taxing, you should make sure that you have enough, stamina, endurance, and strength. The curriculum prepares the recruit to function as a peace officer and focuses upon human behavior, pertinent Illinois' statutes, patrol techniques and investigations, police proficiency skills, and traffic enforcement. *These educational requirements have been outlined by the Illinois State Police Merit Board. Physical Requirements The minimum age required is about 18-21 years, depending on the department you are applying to. Section 1720.40 Qualification of Police Instructors; Section 1720.50 Reimbursements; Section 1720.60 Requirements of Participating Local Agencies; Section 1720.70 Minimum Training Requirements for Illinois Sheriffs; Section 1720.80 Conservator of the Peace Training Course; SUBPART B: DECERTIFICATION OF POLICE OFFICERS. Once this information has been cleared, a committee will assess the final report and determine which applicants deserve to be advanced into the oral interview stage. Another expected driver of police hiring in the coming years is the number of baby boomer veteran police officers who will be retiring. The overall job outlook is highly positive for police officers in Illinois. There are a number of requirements for prospective officers that are imposed by state law, and certain individual departments may have additional requirements. 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