Illinois State Police Agency History
The Illinois State Police began in 1922 and has provided service to the citizens of Illinois for more than 100 years. The single constant, amid all the changes, is the people, bound through the centuries, aligned in a continuum from the first trooper to the unborn employee of tomorrow, by integrity, service, and pride.
What was it like during those early years? And the years that followed? Click on the links below and discover for yourself.
Illinois State Police began in 1922
The Illinois State Police began service to the state with the appointment of the first director, John J. Stack, and the first eight men as highway patrol officers on April 1, 1922. The equipment consisted of surplus World War l motorcycles and uniforms for the eight officers. The mission was to enforce the weight laws of the state protecting the “hard roads” from damage caused by overweight trucks. The size of the force and the mission increased over time.
50th Anniversary
In 1972, the 50th anniversary, the Illinois State Police had become a leader in law enforcement across the nation. The Department had 1,709 sworn officers and 602 civilian employees working within the state. That same year a group of retired and active officers began looking for a means to preserve the proud heritage of the Illinois State Police for future generations. Monetary restrictions and lack of time to devote to preserving the history of the Illinois State Police were always realities which stood in the way. By 1997, the 75th anniversary, the Illinois State Police had grown to 2,124 men and women officers and 1,680 support personnel.
View our yearbooks…
75th Anniversary
By 1997, the 75th anniversary, the Illinois State Police had grown to 2,124 men and women officers and 1,680 support personnel. During this time, serious talks were taking place and steps were being taken to form the Illinois State Police Heritage Foundation.
View our yearbooks…
1999: duty weapon and star changes
Two of the biggest changes occurred in 1999 involving Illinois State Police signature components: duty weapon and star. Troopers began carrying the Glock Model 22 and their star displayed the officer’s identification number.
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Prior to 1967, officers purchased their own sidearm of choice and were directed by policy to carry either their service weapons or a secondary weapon around the clock. In 1967, the Illinois State Police became the first major police department in the country to go with the then-controversial 9mm semi-automatic handgun as its standard issued weapon. Since then, three generations of this model have been carried by troopers and special agents. The department converted to a new duty weapon as the aging Smith & Wesson Model 5904 was being phased out by the manufacturer and repair costs of the old guns were becoming too costly.
There was a lengthy selection process involving a review of 23 weapons submitted by four manufacturers following a formal bid process. The guns were tested by a randomly selected group of officers based upon diversity, shooting skills, and shooting hand. Once the Glock was selected, all officers in the agency participated in 32 hours of transition training. The in-service training was rolled out over the course of a year. Today every officer carries the Glock.
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Also, in 1999, the 91st General Assembly chose to take a closer look at services and credentials of those state agencies with peace officers. To address the issue of confusion relating to these agencies, all badges needed to be clearly marked on the front with the name of the agency and an identifying number. The Illinois State Police star already had the name on the front, but the officer’s identification number was added to the design and issued to all the department’s sworn officers during 2001.
llinois State Police Heritage Foundation (ISPHF) formed in 2000
In December 2000, a small group of retired and active Illinois State Police employees with a strong commitment to preserving its history formed the Illinois State Police Heritage Foundation (ISPHF.) The Foundation registered as a not-for-profit corporation with the state and was recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a charity under Section 501(c)3 of its rules.
Property for Museum and Office purchased in 2004
The dream of the ISPHF became a reality in 2004 when property was purchased for a Museum. A building to house exhibits and vehicles owned by the Foundation was constructed and two existing houses were renovated for use as an office and archive storage. The Museum opened to the public April 1, 2005. Between 2006 and 2009 exhibits were changed and new ones added. The property to the east became available and was purchased. During 2010 the two small houses used for office and storage space were demolished and the remaining house became the ISPHF office. All this was accomplished through donations and sales of merchandise.
​2005: Illinois Department of Central Management Services Police were merged into the Illinois State Police
In 2005, officers and duties of the Illinois Department of Central Management Services Police were merged into the Illinois State Police.
2009: Scott’s Law
In 2009, Scott’s Law came into effect which requires drivers to slow down and move over when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle.
​Becker Park donated in 2007; Memorial Park dedicated in 2018
In 2007 Becker Park, a 1.5-acre park located next to Illinois State Police Central Headquarters in Springfield, was donated to the ISPHF by AIG Corporation with the intent to build a memorial dedicated to honoring the lives and memories of the fallen heroes of the Illinois State Police. The Foundation created a Memorial Park Committee to oversee the fundraising, design and construction of the park. A Groundbreaking Ceremony was held on November 12, 2015. Another dream of the Foundation became a reality when the Memorial Park was officially dedicated on October 2, 2018.
Expansion with Gold Star Family Fund and Benevolent Fund
The ISPHF has expanded to include a Gold Star Family Fund, assisting the financial needs of the families of Illinois State Police officers who have died in the line-of-duty, and a Benevolent Fund, assisting current and former Illinois State Police employees in times of need such as catastrophic illness or injury, extraordinary medical situations or disaster.
Read about programs we support, including the Gold Star Family Fund and the Benevolent Fund…
The work of the ISPHF Board and fundraising
The ISPHF board works closely with Illinois State Police units and personnel, and other third-party organizations and individuals, in support of charitable, educational, and other events, programs, merchandise, and fundraising activities which are aligned with the bylaws, mission, goals, and objectives of the ISPHF. In 2014 a specialty license plate program was created in conjunction with the Secretary of State’s Office as a funding mechanism for the Foundation. Partnering with the Illinois Lottery, a Blue Police Memorial Ticket was established in May 2019. Funds are shared with Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, the Police Memorial Committee, and the ISPHF to be used for police memorials, commemorations, scholarships and financial assistance to families of fallen officers, bulletproof vests and support to individuals aspiring to pursue a career in law enforcement.
Search under way for new Museum property closer to Memorial Park
In January 2020, the Museum and office property was sold. While all the artifacts and exhibitions are in storage, a search is currently underway for a new location preferably closer to the Memorial Park.
Illinois State Police 100th Anniversary in 2022
In 2022, the Illinois State Police will celebrate its 100th Anniversary. The ISPHF has begun planning with the Department to celebrate this monumental event.
Illinois State Police Directors
The following served as director of the Illinois State Police during 2000 – present.
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Sam W. Nolen (1998–2003)
Larry G. Trent (2003–2009)
Jonathon E. Monken (2009–2011)
Hiram Grau (2011–2015)
Leo P. Schmitz (2015–2019)
Brendan F. Kelly (2019– )
