Illinois State Police weclomes new troopers

The Illinois State Police (ISP) welcomed 32 new troopers from Cadet Class 149 at a graduation ceremony at the Illinois State Police Academy in Springfield.

The new troopers will report to all ten ISP Troop locations throughout the state.Since 2019, 597 troopers have joined ISP.

“On behalf of the State of Illinois, I would like to congratulate Cadet Class 149 on their graduation from the Illinois State Police Academy,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Since I took office, my administration has welcomed 597 new troopers, including the 32 brave men and women who now begin the next chapter of their career in law enforcement. Today, we honor the commitment they’ve made to the people of Illinois and are deeply grateful for their service.”

“These cadets, now troopers, began their careers with other law enforcement agencies, but today join the ranks of the Illinois State Police, bringing with them years of knowledge and experience, combined with ISP’s standards,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “We are proud to welcome these officers to one of the greatest law enforcement agencies in the country, dedicated to serving and protecting the people of Illinois with integrity.”

Cadet Class 149 was a lateral entry academy class where the 32 new troopers completed an 11-week program for certified police officers who previously graduated from an accredited law enforcement academy and had at least two years of experience while employed as a full-time officer. The program consists of physical and classroom instruction, which included training in Cultural Diversity, Procedural Justice, Domestic Violence, Critical Incident Response, De-escalation Tactics, Firearms, First Responder Certification, Control and Arrest Tactics, Illinois Vehicle Code, Criminal Law, Motor Carrier Safety, Juvenile Law, and more.

In addition to the 11-week academy training, these troopers are required to participate in one-onone-mentoring with Field Training Officers as part of a 14-week field training program, expanding their total training to 25 weeks. Troopers who successfully complete the field training program advance to solo-patrol status.

Effective July 1, 2024, new troopers earn approximately $90,000 in compensation upon graduation from the Illinois State Police Academy. Anyone interested in joining the ranks of Illinois State Police is encouraged to visit the Illinois State Police Merit Board website at www.illinoistrooper.com for application information.