SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police commissioned 39 new Troopers of Cadet Class 132 at a graduation ceremony at the Illinois State Police Academy in Springfield, Illinois on Friday. The new Troopers will report to ISP patrol districts throughout the state on Monday, April 26, 2021.
“On behalf of the State of Illinois, I wish a heartfelt congratulations to the new Troopers of Cadet Class 132,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Today, 39 brave men and women are joining the ranks of our esteemed Illinois State Police. As graduates of the prestigious Illinois State Police Academy, these Troopers are joining the ranks of ISP with a heightened understanding of what it means to lead and an ongoing pledge to protect Illinois residents and communities. I wish you all the best of luck in the months and years ahead.”
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly welcomed the new Troopers after delivering the Oath of an Officer.
“It’s a small miracle that through the tragic loss of some of our troopers and through the pandemic and civil unrest, we have sworn in more than 200 Troopers in under two years,” said Director Brendan F. Kelly. “The most powerful tools an Illinois State Trooper can utilize are not their taser or their pepper spray or their firearm, but their heart, their mind and their soul.”
Members of Cadet Class 132 underscored their commitment to becoming part of “Illinois’ Finest” by raising $450 in cash donations, which they donated to the Heritage Foundation for Trooper Brian Frank. They also spent approximately $740 in purchasing the Trooper Frank t-shirts. Cadet Class 132 also donated $400 in cash to the ISP Academy to be used for the replacement of the Academy sign. The class also had 16 cadets participate in the Blood Drive in March of 2021.
The Troopers have completed a demanding 26-week regimen of physical and classroom instruction which included training in Cultural Diversity, Procedural Justice, DomesticViolence, Critical Incident Response, Firearms, First Responder Certification, Control and Arrest Tactics, Illinois Vehicle Code, Criminal Law, Motor Carrier Safety, Juvenile Law, and more.
In addition to the 26-week academy training, Troopers are required to participate in one-on-one mentoring with Field Training Officers (FTOs) under a 14-week field training program, expanding their total training to 40 weeks. Troopers who successfully complete the field training program are
advanced to solo-patrol status.
The new officers have been assigned to the following areas of the state and will immediately begin their patrol duties, joining veteran Troopers in the effort to safeguard the public and Illinois roadways:
- District 1 Sterling, 2 cadets
- District 2 Elgin, 3 cadets
- District 6 Pontiac, 4 cadets
- District 7 East Moline, 1 cadet
- District 8 Metamora, 3 cadets
- District 11 Collinsville, 7 cadets
- District 14 Macomb, 1 cadet
- District 15 Downers Grove, 1 cadet
- District 16 Pecatonica, 1 cadet
- District 20 Pittsfield, 1 cadet
- District 21 Ashkum, 2 cadets
- District Chicago, 9 cadets
- District 12 Effingham, 3 cadets
- District 17 LaSalle, 1 cadet
The ISP Academy is one of the most respected and recognized training facilities in the country. Dozens of law enforcement agencies use the ISP Academy curriculum to meet standards set forth by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board.
Anyone interested in joining the ranks of the Illinois State Police is encouraged to visit the Illinois State Police Merit Board website at www.illinoistrooper.com for application information.
Video for the event is available here: https://multimedia.illinois.gov/ioci_vid/Archive/2021/WebpageOnly/ISP/042321-CadetGraduation/042321-CadetGraduation.mp4
