The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board is the state agency mandated to promote and maintain a high level of professional standards for law enforcement and correctional officers.
"A Trained Officer is an Effective Officer"
Posted: 10/2/2024
On Friday, October 11th, at 10am, the Board will be hosting the first stakeholder meeting at our Springfield office to discuss the proposed Rules for Procedure in Administrative Hearings which will govern the process for bringing Discretionary Decertification actions under Section 6.3 of the Police Training Act. This new Section was added by the SAFE-T Act, and the draft rules may be viewed here. We look forward to gathering feedback and comments before posting these for the second notice and we plan to host a virtual meeting shortly thereafter. To submit a comment, please send an email to ptb.comments@illinois.gov
Posted: 6/3/2024
We are thrilled to introduce Trooper, a two-year-old border collie who recently joined us as our first CIT therapy dog! Trooper was first found abandoned and tied to a pole in Cicero, but is now traveling across the state to work with officers, including recruits at the police academy, those in crisis intervention team training programs, or undergoing test-taking. He will soon be available and dispatched to departments dealing with tragic incidents.
Trooper is the first CIT therapy dog provided by the Cook County Sheriff’s Office - Tails of Redemption program (TOR) and supported through Operation TT. The goal of this new initiative is to expand therapy dog availability across the state and provide regional CIT therapy dogs to assist with officer wellness as well as other first responder needs within the communities. Read more about how Trooper is helping officers throughout Illinois in this Chicago Tribune story: https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/05/19/law-enforcement-leaders-eye-therapy-dogs-as-potential-boost-to-officer-mental-health/
Posted: 8/1/2023
Although ILETSB is in the process of updating reimbursement forms, you are welcome to submit current requests using the forms found on the Forms & Information page under the Resources tab.
Posted: 1/5/2023
Throughout 2023, a special advisory group will be exploring issues related to the POWER test. This group is expected to conduct research, consult with experts, gather stakeholder input, and prepare recommendations for changes. During this process, the Board will seek to gather as much data as possible from the current academy classes to demonstrate recruit performance at the beginning and end of each session. As an accommodation to assist in the measurement of performance improvement, the longstanding metrics have been adjusted. The new standards can be found here.
Posted: 9/12/2022
In accordance with the revisions of the SAFE-T Act, the Board is creating several new forms, and modifying existing forms, to be used when reporting officer misconduct. While additional revisions are forthcoming, the following forms are now available on the Board’s website:
Professional Conduct Report (Form R) – This document, known as a “Form R,” allows police agencies to report officer misconduct to the Board when it results in termination, a suspension of at least 10 days, or compels a resignation while under investigation. Details regarding when this revised form is needed can be found on the form itself. Any officer reported to this database may respond on a separate from, which will become part of the file maintained by the Board. Agencies seeking to report misconduct that does not rise to the level required to be reported under Section 9.3 of the Police Training Act, may use Form Q, described below.
Officer Complaint (Form Q) – Under Section 6.3 of the Police Training Act, the Board will now accept complaints made against officers from members of the public, state’s attorneys, and police agencies. When this “Form Q” is received, it will be reviewed by Board staff and assigned for investigation or referral.
Notice of Arrest (Form O) – The Police Training Act requires officers and their employing agencies to notify the Board whenever an officer is arrested. This “Form O” will make it easier for both to do so while including the requisite information for Board processing.
All of these forms can be found be found under the "General Forms" section of our Forms and Information page.
Posted: 6/9/2022
Photo Credit: Attorney General's Office
NOW BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board and its individual members, meeting in Tinley Park, Illinois, adopt these same Ten Shared Principles as their own, and thereby add their names to the historic agreement between the Illinois NAACP and the ILACP. These are the Ten Shared Principles:
Posted: 3/15/2022
Interim Executive Director Keith Calloway announces the ‘minimum in-service training standards’ required by the Illinois Police Training Act (50 ILCS 705/10.6). He states, “Establishing these guidelines will allow agencies and officers throughout the state to not only better prepare their training schedules in both the long-term and short-term, but also assist and allow our profession to continue its evolution in striving to provide the highest level of professionalism with an exemplary standard of training.” The SAFE-T Act requires the board to adopt rules and minimum standards for in-service training requirements as set forth within the Act. Please click here to review these standards. Comments may be directed to ptb.training@illinois.gov with any questions.
Posted: 9/28/2021
The SAFE-T Act requires the Board to establish statewide standards for minimum standards regarding regular mental health screenings for probationary and permanent police officers. The Board recently passed a preliminary version of these standards for public review before revisiting these at the next board meeting. Please click here to review these standards. Comments may be directed to ptb.comments@illinois.gov
Posted: 8/19/2021
SROs who are already certified by the Board must attend update courses prior to submitting any recertification requests. Please click here to learn more about the available courses that meet these requirements.
Posted: 4/16/2021
4/16/2021 POLICE REFORM TRAINING UPDATE Under the reforms of HB 3653 (PA 101-652) there are several additions to the general in-service mandates required of all experienced officers. With these, we expect the new list of mandates to reflect the list below (new items are underlined).
At this time, staff is reviewing the master list of available MTU courses to determine if any existing classes meet the new mandates, and if none qualify, the Board will create guidelines for new courses to be offered at the MTU level. These will incorporate the changes to the use of force standards and new training specifications. As before, all MTU and Executive Institute courses will be tracked for each participating officer and these records will be available to demonstrate completion and compliance. Administrative Rules for these provisions are currently being drafted that will provide clear guidance as to how courses will be credited and tracked.
Additionally, the Board is working with the Executive Institute to present additional viewings of special trainings related specifically to the reforms of the SAFE-T Act to help chiefs, sheriffs, and administrators navigate the changes of this legislation. With these measures, we believe that the structure will be in place to present officers with ample opportunities to meet the initial annual and tri-annual deadlines of July 1, 2022 and July 1, 2024 respectively.
One issue to be addressed is the new requirement that certain topics must be presented for a specific length of time. For courses that address these topics, the Board is considering stand alone, whole day, courses that will complete the requirement, or alternatively, breaking down these topics into other courses that would require completion of several courses before the requirement is met. At this time, we are scheduling a series of meetings with the MTU directors, department heads, and other stakeholders. We intend to host a Special Subject Matter Meeting of the Curriculum Committee to discuss the progress made in these areas in the upcoming weeks.
Please check back to this website frequently as we anticipate other updates to be shared here before our June Quarterly Board meetings. For an overview of the SAFE-T Act and the Board’s analysis of specific sections addressing implementation presented in March of 2021, click here.
Minimum in-service training requirements, which a police officer must satisfactorily complete at least annually. Those requirements shall include courses addressing:
Mandatory training to be completed every 3 years. The training shall consist of at least 30 hours of training, at least 12 hours of hands-on, scenario-based role-playing, every 3 years and shall include:
Posted: 3/4/2021
If you are interested in seeking employment with the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, you are encouraged to visit the State of Illinois Jobs website at: https://illinois.jobs2web.com/. This website gives a great deal of information useful to prospective employees of the State of Illinois. You can search for all State of Illinois jobs by location, job title, agency, or by using the interactive map.
To go directly to ILETSB’s job openings, please click here.
Each individual job posting gives the job qualifications and duties, pay scales, application instructions, etc. Please be sure to read each job posting thoroughly, as the application procedures vary depending upon the job title.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You must apply for each job posting separately, following the application instructions for that specific job. We cannot simply keep your resume on file and alert you of any upcoming job postings for which you qualify. You will not be considered for any position for which you do not directly apply.
Thank you for your interest in seeking employment with our agency.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
ILETSB is a nonpartisan, independent State Board. Political affiliation and views will not be considered in hiring, assignment of work, evaluations, or discipline (including termination).
ILETSB seeks a diverse workforce and posts vacancies in alternative locations to encourage diversity in the applicant pool.
ILETSB is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity/affirmative action in all areas of its employment process, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, promotion, discipline, discharge, and the awarding of benefits for all qualified applicants. Therefore, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran’s status (as defined in the Illinois Human Rights Act), citizenship status (consistent with Title 8, U.S. Code, Section 1324A), arrest record, or any other non-merit factor, except bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ), will be excluded from any employment decision or service provided by ILETSB.
In addition, it is the policy of ILETSB that its employees and applicants for employment will be free from any harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, or age.
ILETSB is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides reasonable accommodation to applicants and employees with disabilities.
Posted: 1/14/2021
Yesterday, the General Assembly passed HB 3653 – a comprehensive reform addressing several areas of criminal justice and policing. While this bill changes many aspects of law enforcement, our focus has been on how it affects the Police Training Act, which directly affects the Board.
Most significantly, it establishes a process that allows the Board to seek decertification for misconduct that does not rise to the felony conviction level. Under this bill, the Board will receive complaints from agencies, state’s attorneys, and the public addressing instances of criminal conduct, perjury, evidence tampering and other unprofessional conduct. If, after investigation, these complaints are founded, the Board will conduct a hearing and go before a newly created Certification Review Panel to determine if decertification is warranted.
As of 2022, certificates will be divided into active, inactive, and decertified status. Officers who are no longer employed as police officers will have to go through a special process to reactivate their certificate upon being rehired. Officers will also have to self-report their compliance with all training mandates every three years. Failure to report may result in inactivation.
This measure also provides for greater transparency by requiring the Board to maintain a public portal on our website to search officer agency affiliation and certification status. Chiefs and Sheriffs will still have access to the Professional Misconduct Database, but this too will be streamlined and made more accessible, as hiring entities must review these entries before initiating the employment of a new officer.
New mandates related to use of force, officer wellness courses, and crisis intervention response were added to the basic and in-service training requirements as well. Staff is already working on ways to implement these changes to be ready for the January 1, 2022, effective date. While this bill requires “crisis intervention training” at the basic academy and as part of the annual in-service mandate, we believe these can be covered by intro and overview courses, leaving the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) course as a volunteer, specialized certification.
The bill also requires all agencies to begin using body cameras over the course of the next five years. We anticipate that this will increase demand for our existing camera grant program and have asked that funding for this program be increased. Similarly, we have asked for our appropriations to be increased and funding secured to accommodate the increased trainings and duties associated with processing certification verifications, investigating statewide complaints, and seeking the decertification for reported misconduct. We trust that in the upcoming months, discussions on this topic will be fruitful.
While we understand that there are several items of concern in the underlying legislation, we remain focused on the Board’s role in ensuring that Illinois’ law enforcement community has the training and resources to better serve the people of this State.
Posted: 12/16/2020
- On-Line Juvenile Update: In the course of reviewing program and waiver applications, we noted that several officers would be eligible for the Board’s SRO waiver if they simply had an update course in Juvenile Law. For your information, an online Juvenile Law update course is now available through the Executive Institute. To learn more or register, please click here.
- January 1, 2021 Deadline: Section 10-20.68 of the School Code requires any officer who has been primarily assigned to a school or school district under an agreement with a local law enforcement agency to obtain a special SRO certificate from the Board beginning January 1, 2021. Unfortunately, the Board cannot issue any extensions of this deadline – doing so would require a statutory change and there is currently no opportunity for the General Assembly to address this issue in the remainder of this year. We have put or contacts on notice that an extension may be requested into the new year. In the meantime, we are working with trainers and facilities to conduct the needed coursework as soon as possible within the COVID restrictions. As the underlying requirement rests within the School Code, any concerns or comments from an employing agency about this deadline should be directed to the local school district.
Posted: 10/2/2020
To learn about the School Resource Officer (SRO) program please visit the new SRO page located under the Training tab or by clicking here.
Posted: 9/22/2020
Information about the Drug Detection Canine Compliance Program Update can be found under the Training tab or clicking here. If you have any questions or comments please email PTB.K9@Illinois.gov.
Posted: 4/15/2020
In your work as a law enforcement officer, you run into people under stress on each shift. The current situation raises the anxiety base level for everyone, including yourself.
As such, the ILETSB is sharing information about resources for you to share and use as needed.
Below are some online and tele-resources both very specific and more general for you to share with the public as a source for support, information and access to help.
We appreciate all you do and continue to do for our communities. Please continue your practices to stay healthy, safe and mentally well.
Should you have any recommendations of useful resources to add for the public or for officers, please contact Jennifer Wooldridge at jennifer.wooldridge@illinois.gov.
Posted: 2/25/2020
In accordance with the requirements of PA 100-984, the Board approved a preliminary draft for our School Resource Officer (SRO) program policies and curriculum at the last Board meeting. This allows for further review and feedback to be gathered before courses must be conducted and officers seek to complete training before the January 1, 2021 deadline.
This document was prepared in coordination with the Shriver Center on Poverty Law and is a culmination of feedback from stakeholders and interested parties, including current SROs, chiefs and sheriffs, school administrators, community advocates, parent groups, trainers, and Board staff. As the notes and feedback of those meetings were compiled, it became clear that the general consensus was for SROs to be trained in youth communication, recognition of hardships and disabilities, threat recognition and response, and the intricacies of Illinois’ juvenile protection statutes.
With this, Board staff conducted research as to the similar requirements in other states and learned of national trends and best practices in particular subject areas. We worked with the ILETSB Executive Institute on threat response practices, discussed current course structures with local and national trainers, and got feedback from officer organizations most effected by the original legislation. We also reached out to the City of Chicago and other jurisdictions that have already taken significant steps to increase SRO training and we developed methods to accommodate and recognize their preliminary accomplishments as we moved forward creating new requirements.
Ultimately, we determined that officers who had previously attended a recognized School Resource Officer Course may be eligible for a waiver if they also attended a juvenile law course and an active threat response course. These elements became the building blocks of the course and program we developed. Under this structure, officers have two options for attaining an SRO certificate, attend our course, or attend other Board-certified courses in the 3 topic areas.
Under the proposed program, the Board certificate for an SRO will be valid for two years and may be renewed. However, the idea of a continuing education requirement was also suggested by the legislative sponsors and stakeholders. With that, we will require each SRO to complete at least one update course in the three topic areas before a renewal will be granted.
Finally, we ask that officers have at least two years of experience after their initial date of hire before serving as an SRO and come to the position with an interest for serving the youth of the community. We believe that the course presented here represents the basic standard topics and points of instruction that we would require from any provider seeking to conduct this course throughout the state and affords instructors a great deal of flexibility to embellish and expand areas if desired.
If you wish to submit feedback regarding this program and curriculum you may do so during the month of March by emailing your comments to this address: ptb.comments@illinois.gov
Click here to download the SRO Curriculum and Policies.
Posted: 10/18/2019
The ILETSB is proud to announce the creation of a new CIT training resource. Welcome to the CIT Illinois - Illinois Law Enforcement Training & Standards Board's Facebook page for everything CIT.
Click here to follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CITILETSB/
Posted: 12/12/2018
Effective 01-01-2012, under 50 ILCS 705/10.11, only law enforcement officers who successfully complete the Board certified 40-hour Lead Homicide Investigator training program may be assigned as lead investigators in homicide investigations.
All Lead Homicide Investigators (LHIs) certified by the Training Board are required to obtain 32 hours of approved LHI in-service training in a 4 year period from the date of their certification.
The Training Board has approved many in-service classes for LHI certificate renewal. Agencies are responsible for ensuring LHIs attend approved classes. Below is the current list of in-service classes approved for Lead Homicide Investigator re-certification. However, please check with your local MTU and/or the Executive Institute to get the most up-to-date list of LHI approved classes being offered in your region, as additional classes are being added on a regular basis. List of approved (or tentatively approved) LHI classes for re-certification.
It is suggested that agencies submit their Lead Homicide Investigator’s re-certification paperwork no sooner than 3 months and no later than 6 months prior to the end of the 4th year.
A copy of the LHI recertification form can be found by clicking here - Recertification .
Posted: 6/7/2018
Conor's Law - ILETSB Model Policy on the Response and Release of Individuals Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol: Last year, PA 100-537 was passed requiring the Board to create a model policy to train law enforcement officers on how to respond to individuals who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of an arrest - with special considerations for those under age 21. After researching the general issues, discussions with stakeholders, and an invitation for public comment, we are pleased to share this model policy with the law enforcement community. While law enforcement agencies are not mandated to make any changes under this law, we believe that this model policy stands as an example of how to balance several concerns while maintaining the safety interests of the detainee. This document will be permanently available in the new section of the Board’s website for “Model Policies” under the “Resources” tab.
Posted: 5/16/2018
There has been a growing concern among law enforcement over the possible impact the legalization of cannabis would have on narcotics detection dogs. Although we recognize the legalization of cannabis could create a number of issues for those narcotics detection dogs in service at the time if it is legalized, we must continue to follow current Illinois law. The current Illinois law requires “all police dogs used by State and local law enforcement agencies for drug enforcement purposes pursuant to the Cannabis Control Act, the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, and the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act shall be trained by programs that meet the minimum certification requirements set by the Board.” To meet the “minimum certification requirements”, all narcotics detection dogs must be trained to detect marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
Posted: 2/20/2018
Please note: The following changes to the instructor approval application process applies only to instructors teaching in the full-time or part-time academy. The process for instructor approval applications for in-service training remains the same.
Effective March 1, 2018, ILETSB will be accepting electronically submitted Approved Academy Instructor Applications as the primary method of submission. This new protocol will reduce staff time, allow for permanent records to be shared by the entire organization, and most importantly, ensure retention of permanent records. The process for receiving, retaining, and responding to those electronic applications are as follows:
Posted: 11/7/2017
Please be advised that the 160-hour Basic Court Security Officer course has been suspended for a short time.
This will allow time for the review and update of the instructional blocks affected by the new 560 PTBLE curriculum.
Departments with court security officers in need of training will be given the option of sending their officers through the 200-hour Basic Correctional Officer training, in order to meet the 12 month training deadline.
Please check back for an update on the website in late 2019, announcing when the BCSO course has been updated and will again be available.
Posted: 4/21/2017
Pursuant to 50 ILCS 706/10-25 each law enforcement agency that utilizes body worn cameras must provide a report to the Board by May 1 of each year indicating the number of cameras in use, the number of officers who have used body worn cameras, technical issues encountered with the use of such cameras and the review process used by supervisors. For each instance in which a body camera was used in a prosecution, the agency must indicate the date, time, location, offense and charging date. In an effort to simplify the collection of this data, ILETSB requests that this data be provided on the attached chart. Completed reports for the 2019 calendar year, including the accompanying chart, can be emailed to Jennifer Wooldridge at jennifer.wooldridge@illinois.gov
Posted: 10/26/2016
In September 2016 the Board adopted the following policy:
When determining minimum in-service training requirements that a police officer must satisfactorily complete, only Board Certified courses that comply with Board approved guidelines will be considered.
Board Policy Adopted September 22, 2016
Pursuant to Board Policy adopted in December 2013 all in-service courses shall be delivered and certified through the Mobile Team system unless the course and/or venue is approved by the Board on an individual basis. The Mobile Teams shall have the option of providing all in-service courses. If the Mobile Team declines the delivery of any course within its region for reasons other than duplication, the Board may determine whether the course is otherwise certifiable and/or reimbursable based upon the best interests of law enforcement. Board certificates may be provided to individuals that the Mobile Training unit can identify as having successfully completed a Board-certified course.
Certification shall be reviewed by the Board on an annual basis.
Board Policy Adopted December 12, 2013
The Board Approved guidelines can be found here: https://www.ptb.illinois.gov/media/1296/iletsb-in-service-mandated-training-guidelines-jan-2022.pdf
For additional information on having a training certified please contact the Regional Mobile Training Team Unit where the training is to be held.
Posted: 10/17/2016
Part of any law enforcement officer’s Annual Firearms Training is a review of the agency’s Use of Force policy as well as training on use of force guidelines and statutes. For the past few years, the Board has provided a Use of Force brochure which can be found on our website as a PDF form – printable by the agency. Just recently, the Board has added an on-line Use of Force training for those agencies utilizing LEDI.
All Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) are required to document the Annual Firearms and Use of Force training on their personnel roster either in its paper form or via LEDI. Should an agency wish to access the on-line Use of Force training, the agency MUST be enrolled in LEDI. If you’d like to enroll in LEDI, please click here or contact your Board-assigned Field Rep.
Posted: 9/29/2016
The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, in cooperation with the U.S. Marshals Service, Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Department of Justice, and the Illinois State Police, is conducting an investigation into non-governmental, legally unrecognized, and unauthorized "auxiliary/reserve police organizations" offering "police assistance, services, and employees" to county and local police agencies. Certain illicit organizations have been successful in convincing law enforcement agencies that they are legitimate. These organizations have also attempted to create an appearance of authority through financial records and other "legal" documents to avoid constitutional requirements establishing real law enforcement authority for the use of police powers. Since this Board is responsible for the certification of all law enforcement personnel in the State of Illinois, we wanted you to be aware of this situation in order to avoid jeopardizing the safety and security of your community.
Please see the following for more information:
Letter from Director Kevin T. McClain
Opinion of Lisa Madigan, Attorney General
Posted: 7/1/2016
The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB) Intern Program is perfect for Veterans seeking a career in law enforcement.
This program has been developed in response to law enforcement administrators seeking a pool of trained and certified candidates available for service. It is ideal for veterans seeking a career in law enforcement. Successful Intern applicants attend a basic law enforcement training academy and, upon passing the State Certification examination, will receive ILETSB State Certification. Interns are integrated into classes with sworn officers and receive the same training. The Intern application process is currently available at Southwestern Illinois Police Academy. This program is for Illinois residents only and seats are limited. Applicants must have valid Illinois driver's license and Illinois Firearms Owner Identification card.
Click here for more information and how to apply for the ILETSB Intern Training Program.
Posted: 6/28/2016
Pursuant to 50 ILCS 705/6.2, all law enforcement agencies shall notify the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (aka the Board) within 30 days of any final determination of willful violation of department or agency policy, official misconduct, or violation of law when:
(1) the officer is discharged or dismissed as a result of the violation; or
(2) the officer resigns during the course of an investigation and after the officer
has been served noticed that he or she is under investigation that is based on the commission of a Class 2 or greater felony. This includes violations of Illinois statutes or statutes of other state or federal agencies when the elements of the offense are substantially similar to an Illinois criminal offense which is a Class 2 or greater felony.
To submit a Professional Conduct Report, log in to LEDI and click "Professional Conduct" from the menu.
Posted: 4/5/2016
The Board will be providing the 40-hour Mandatory Firearms Training to approved County Probation Officers per P.A. 098-0725. In order to be approved for such training, the Chief Judge of the Judicial Circuit must designate each officer to be authorized to carry a firearms and eligible to attend the MFT. A letter outlining the procedure to follow can be found HERE.
Posted: 12/12/2013
On December 12th, 2013, pursuant to the requirement of P.A. 098-0311, the Board has approved the training standards for Animal Abuse and Cruelty; Canine Behavior and Officer Response courses. The standard will be shared with Basic Law Enforcement academies and MTUs. Click HERE to obtain the standards.
Since 2003, the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB) has provided state-certified Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training to law enforcement officers throughout Illinois. To date, the ILETSB has certified over 5700 officers statewide, from more than 350 agencies in this specialized program.
In accordance with the Federal Act, Illinois passed Public Act 94-103 (2005) that provides for the annual certification of retired law enforcement officers qualified under federal law to carry a concealed weapon.
Through innovative education, training, research, and services the Executive Institute will guide the law enforcement community to achieve higher standards and professional development that will enhance their mission of providing professional law enforcement services to their constituents.
The Law Enforcement Document Exchange (formerly EDI) is a web-based application that allow users (Law Enforcement Agencies and States Attorneys offices) to access their personnel roster, firearms re-qualification roster and to submit notices of appointment/separation.
For more information or to sign up for LEDI, please visit our LEDI Information page.