Governor Quinn Welcomes New Class of Illinois State Police Troopers

SPRINGFIELD – Governor Pat Quinn today was joined by Illinois State Police Director Hiram Grau to commission 37 new State Troopers during a graduation ceremony at the State Police Academy in Springfield. The new troopers will begin patrolling throughout the state starting Monday, July 28. Today’s event is part of Governor Quinn’s agenda to improve public safety across Illinois.

“The Illinois State Police have a long and distinguished history of service to the state,” Governor Quinn said. “Our newest graduates have been rigorously trained to uphold that tradition. I welcome this class of cadets into the State Police, and thank each of them for their dedication to making our state a safer place for all.”

“These men and women dedicated themselves to successfully completing 25 weeks of rigorous training to become Illinois State Police officers,” Director Grau said. “We welcome them to our ranks and salute their commitment to serving the citizens of Illinois.”

Today’s graduation of Cadet Class 124 marks the second cadet class this year. It is the third class to graduate under a new law that allows veterans who have been awarded an Afghan or Iraqi campaign medal by the U.S. military to apply without having earned a college degree. Fourteen of the new troopers are veterans, and of these, nine were hired under the new law.

The troopers completed a rigorous 25-week regimen of physical and classroom instruction which included training in Terrorism Awareness, Domestic Violence, Critical Incident Response, Firearms Training, First Responder Certification, Illinois Vehicle Code, Criminal Law, Motor Carrier Safety, Juvenile Law and more.

The new officers have been assigned to the following areas of the state and will immediately begin their patrol duties:

• District 1 Sterling, 2 troopers
• District 2 Elgin, 3 troopers
• Chicago District, 4 troopers
• District 5 Joliet, 1 trooper
• District 6 Pontiac, 2 troopers
• District 7 East Moline, 2 troopers
• District 8 Metamora, 4 troopers
• District 11 Collinsville, 6 troopers
• District 14 Macomb, 1 trooper
• District 16 Pecatonica, 4 troopers
• District 17 LaSalle, 4 troopers
• District 21 Kankakee, 4 troopers.

The Illinois State Police Academy is one of the most respected and recognized training facilities in the country. Dozens of law enforcement agencies also use Academy curriculum to meet standards set forth by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board.

Those interested in joining the ranks of the Illinois State Police are encouraged to visit the Illinois State Police Merit Board website at www.illinoistrooper.com for application information.