Illinois State Police centennial

The 12-month period beginning April 1 is the Illinois State Police centennial year. Gov. J.B. Pritzker, at a news conference in his office, told a story of an ISP that formed in 1922 to “maintain order and safety on its massive number of newly paved roads.” ISP Director Brendan Kelly said the first class of ISP troopers consisted of eight individuals driving motorcycles “that were left over from the First World War.”

“It's safe to say the Illinois State Police has changed an awful lot since then. As our understanding of public safety has expanded, so too have the duties of the Illinois State Police,” Pritzker said.

Pritzker said ISP duties now include “forensic testing, crime scene services, investigations, intelligence, cybersecurity, disaster response and a spectrum of support for all local law enforcement throughout the state.”

“The makeup of the ranks of our state troopers has changed too. Women and people of color weren't allowed to serve 100 years ago. Today they are among ISP's highest ranks,” he said.

ISP protects Illinois residents by patrolling roadways, responding to calls for service, investigating violent crimes, conducting narcotics investigations, and maintaining critical law enforcement information technology systems for the criminal justice community. ISP provides vital firearms services, including the Violent Crime Intelligence Task Force, Firearm Owner Identification (FOID) Card, concealed carry licenses, and gun dealer licensing. When needed, ISP provides critical support to other law enforcement agencies throughout the State.