Illinois State Police Announce Three Upcoming Cadet Classes

For Immediate Release – August 11, 2021

Illinois State Police Announce Three Upcoming Cadet Classes

 Springfield, IL – The Illinois State Police (ISP) announce three upcoming Cadet Classes and encourage applicants from all of Illinois’ diverse communities to join the ranks of the ISP as we continue to build toward our next 100 years. Two of the new classes will be traditional classes while one will be a fast track class, providing certified police officers an opportunity to become Illinois State Troopers through participation in an accelerated training program

These new classes build on significant efforts to bolster the ranks of the Illinois State Police under the Pritzker Administration. Since 2019, Illinois has fielded 235 Troopers with three cadet classes – Cadet Class (CC) 129, CC 130, and CC 131 – and these three additional cadet classes will sustain the effort to rebuild the Illinois State Police.

The ISP currently has three Cadet Classes scheduled:

“My administration continues rebuilding our State Police force, prioritizing substantial funding for additional troopers in my tenure as governor,” said Governor JB Pritzker.  “These three new cadet classes offer Illinoisans a unique opportunity to attend the prestigious Illinois State Police Academy and leave with a heightened understanding of what it means to lead and serve. I remain committed to ensuring that our state police reflects and respects the diversity of the population they safeguard. And I’m proud that we’re making the right investments to build the workforce needed to protect our residents and communities.”

“As the Illinois State Police continue to rebuild, we are focused on what has always been our greatest strength – our people, the brave souls who volunteer to protect our communities across this state every day,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly.  He continued, “Despite the obstacles of the last two years, budgets have been stable, investments are being made in our future, we have kept the academy running and we are advancing forward to meet the public safety challenges of our second century as one of the most professional agencies in the country.”

As part of ISP’s efforts to be a more diverse force that reflect the communities we serve, we will continue our work to recruit women and people of color to apply.  The challenges we face in the next 100 years will demand a workforce that more closely represents the people of Illinois.  This diversity will make the ISP stronger and more capable of meeting those challenges as we learn and grow together in service.  The Merit Board is currently accepting applications for the position of Illinois State Police Trooper to fill future Cadet classes. Before applying, applicants should be able to meet the following requirements listed below.

Minimum Requirements:    

• U.S. Citizen
• Valid Driver’s License
• Twenty-one (21) years of age at time of application. Applicants twenty (20) years of age may apply if they have successfully completed an Associate degree or 60 credit hours from an accredited college or university with a “C” average or better. *The Illinois State Police requires mandatory retirement at 60 years of age*
• No Felony Convictions
• Must be willing to accept assignment anywhere in the State of Illinois
• $30.00 non-refundable application fee

Must meet one of the following options:

• Associate degree or 60 credit hours from an accredited college or university with a C average or better
• Three (3) consecutive years of active military duty with an honorable discharge
• Any person who has been awarded a Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, or Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Served in a combat mission by proof of hostile fire pay or imminent danger pay with an honorable discharge

For applicants, the Fast Track and traditional class requirements are the same. However, the Fast Track program provides an opportunity for certified police officers to become Illinois State Troopers through participation in an accelerated training program. The duration of a Fast Track Cadet Class will be slightly less than half of the standard 26-week Cadet Class. In order to be eligible for a Fast Track Cadet Class, applicants must be a current certified police officer, having graduated from an accredited law enforcement academy, and have at least two years of experience while employed as a full-time sworn police officer. Officers must also meet all pre-employment requirements and standards established by the ISP Merit Board and successfully complete the application process. Upon completion of the application process, applicants will be screened to determine if they meet the additional eligibility requirements to be considered for a Fast Track Class. In addition to the ISP Merit Board’s requirements, all candidates eligible to participate in a Fast Track Cadet Class will be required to successfully pass a Fast Track written examination.

Please visit www.illinoistrooper.com or scan the QR Code with a capable smart device/phone to review the pre-employment requirements, selection process, and complete the application. Applicants that have previously applied and have not received any information on the status of their application, do not need to re-apply at this time. They will be contacted at a later date with information on how to continue the process. If there are any questions, please reach out to the Illinois State Police Recruitment Section.