Illinois State Trooper

Description

The Illinois State Police Merit Board is responsible for the selection of Illinois State Trooper candidates. Information on becoming an Illinois State Police Trooper can be found on the Illinois State Police Merit Board website.

The Illinois State Police Merit Board has set the following minimum requirements for persons applying for an Illinois State Trooper position:

1. Applicant must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age.
   -An applicant twenty (20) years of age may apply if they have successfully completed an associate’s degree or 60 credit hours at an accredited college or university.
2. Applicant cannot have been convicted of a felony.
3. Applicant must be a citizen of the United States.
4. Applicant must possess a valid driver’s license at the time of completing the application.
5. Applicant must be willing to accept an assignment anywhere in the State.
6. Applicant must have completed, with a C average or better, one of the following education requirements:

OPTION 1:
Associate’s degree or 60 credit hours from an accredited college or university

College or university must be accredited by one of the following:

• Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• Higher Learning Commission
• New England Commission of Higher Education
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
• Southern Association of Colleges & Schools Commission on Colleges
• WASC Senior College and University Commission
• Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges

OPTION 2:
No education needed if applicant meets one of the following:

• Honorably discharged AND has been awarded at least one of the qualifying medals by the United States Armed Forces. Proof must be provided on a DD-214.
• An active member of the Illinois National Guard or a reserve component of the United States Armed Forces AND have been awarded at least one of the qualifying medals as a result of honorable service during deployment on active duty. Proof must be provided on a DD-214.
• Honorably discharged AND served in a combat mission by proof of hostile fire pay or imminent danger pay during deployment on active duty. Proof must be provided on a DD-214.
• Have at least 3 years of full active and continuous military duty and received an honorable discharge before hiring. Proof must be provided on a DD-214

Qualifying Military Medals:

• Southwest Asia Service Medal
• Kosovo Campaign Medal
• Korean Defense Service Medal
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

SELECTION PROCESS
All steps in this process are mandatory and cannot be rescheduled for any reason. The Selection Process may take six months to a year to complete. We are usually working within a very tight time frame and do not have much, if any, flexibility. Applicants are given as much advance notice as possible regarding upcoming events. Notification is made by email only; applicants must monitor spam/junk folders. Changes to any candidate information should include your Social Security Number to ensure accuracy and should be done via email. Personal information changes are not accepted by telephone.

The Selection Process is initiated after the Merit Board receives notice from the Illinois State Police that a cadet class has been scheduled. The process consists of the following steps:

Physical Fitness Inventory Test (PFIT)
The Fitness Test is a four-item, pass or fail test.

Click the below link to read a breakdown of the four item test and view a video demonstrating each item on the test.
https://www.illinoistrooper.com/recruitment/fitness-test/

Background Investigation/Review
A complete background investigation, including education, personal and employment references, traffic, criminal and credit history is completed. Once all background information has been compiled, a committee, comprised of a Merit Board member and an Illinois State Police Colonel will meet to review this information to determine which applicants advance to oral interviews. Polygraph testing may be required at this, or any other stage of the Selection Process.

Oral Interview
The Oral Interview consists of two parts.  The first part consists of an interview with a Merit Board member and an Illinois State Police Colonel.  The second part includes a written assignment and an oral presentation to a panel of ISP officers.  An individual Oral Interview takes approximately one and a half hours to complete. Applicants are ranked after this step of the process.

Certification
An appropriate number of applicants needed for the cadet class is certified to the Director of the Illinois State Police, and scheduled for a medical, psychological examination and drug screening. The exams are administered by the Illinois State Police.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Illinois State Police Merit Board
https://www.illinoistrooper.com/

Illinois State Police Website
https://isp.illinois.gov/

Trooper Salary Schedule
https://www.illinoistrooper.com/recruitment/trooper-salary-schedule/

If you want to speak with one of the recruitment coordinators, email them at:
[email protected]

This is the oath taken by every Illinois State Police Trooper. These men and women take pride in embracing the core values of law enforcement, with the sole objective of being excellent Illinois State Police public service employees. This oath an ongoing and enduring promise of our commitment to the Citizens of the State of Illinois.

“I solemnly vow to the people of Illinois, upon my honor as an officer and citizen, to discharge the duties of an officer of the Illinois State Police to the best of my ability, to adhere to the rules and regulations of the Illinois State Police, and to adopt the Agency’s mission and goals into my everyday life. I pledge to be honest in thought, word, and deed; to maintain unimpeachable integrity; to be just, fair, and impartial; to be steadfast against evil and its temptations; and to give my utmost to protect the rights, property, and lives of our citizens. I shall strive to give thoughtful, intelligent obedience to the commands of my superiors, to make my conduct friendly but impartial, courteous but firm, and charitable to the inadvertent violator. But I shall never compromise with crime and shall, at all times, uphold the Constitutions and laws of my country and the state of Illinois.”