(55 ILCS 5/Div. 3-8 heading) Division 3-8.
Sheriff's Merit System
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(55 ILCS 5/3-8001) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8001)
Sec. 3-8001.
Subtitle.
This Division shall be subtitled
the "Sheriff's Merit System Law".
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)
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(55 ILCS 5/3-8002) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8002) Sec. 3-8002. Applicability and adoption. The county board of every county having a county police department merit board established under the County Police Department Act (repealed) or a merit commission for sheriff's personnel established under Section 58.1 of "An Act to revise the law in relation to counties", approved March 31, 1874, as amended (repealed), shall adopt and implement the merit system provided by this Division and shall modify the merit system now in effect in that county as may be necessary to comply with this Division. The county board of any county having a population of less than 1,000,000 which does not have a merit board or merit commission for sheriff's personnel may adopt and implement by ordinance the merit system provided by this Division. If the county board does not adopt such a merit system by an ordinance and if a petition signed by not fewer than 5% or 1000, whichever is less, of the registered electors of any such county is filed with the county clerk requesting a referendum on the adoption of a merit system for deputies in the office of the Sheriff, the county board shall, by appropriate ordinance, cause the question to be submitted to the electors of the county, at a special or general election specified in such ordinance, in accordance with the provisions of Section 28-3 of the Election Code. Notice of the election shall be given as provided in Article 12 of that Code. If a majority of those voting on the proposition at such election vote in favor thereof, the county board shall adopt and implement a merit system provided in this Division. When a merit board or merit commission for sheriff's personnel has been established in a county, it may be abolished by the same procedure in which it was established. This Division does not apply to any county having a population of more than 1,000,000 nor to any county which has not elected to adopt the merit system provided by this Division and which is not required to do so under this Section. (Source: P.A. 103-605, eff. 7-1-24.) |
(55 ILCS 5/3-8003) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8003)
Sec. 3-8003.
Appointment of Merit Commission.
Any
ordinance providing for the adoption and implementation of a merit system
under this Division shall provide for the appointment of a
Sheriff's Office Merit Commission consisting of 3 or 5 members appointed
by the sheriff with the approval of a majority of the members of the county
board. If the sheriff fails to make the appointments within 60 days after
the adoption of the ordinance, the members of the commission shall be appointed
by the chairman of the county board with the approval of a majority of the
members of the county board. No member of the commission shall hold a
statutory partisan political office.
Of the initial appointments to a 3-member Commission, one shall
be for a term of 2 years, one for a term of 4 years and one for a term
of 6 years. Of the initial appointments to a 5-member Commission, one shall
serve for a term of 2 years, one for a term of 3 years, one for a term of
4 years, one for a term of 5 years, and one for a term of 6 years. If a
3-member Commission is increased to a 5-member Commission, the additional
members shall be appointed to serve for terms of 3 and 5 years, respectively.
The respective successors of the initial members shall be appointed in the
same manner as the original appointments for 6 year terms.
If a vacancy occurs in the office of a commissioner, the
sheriff, with the approval of a majority of the members of the
county board, shall appoint a suitable person to serve
the unexpired portion of that commissioner's term. If the sheriff fails
to appoint a person to fill the vacancy within 30 days, the chairman of
the county board shall appoint a person to fill the unexpired portion of
the term, with the approval of a majority of the members of the county board.
In a 3-member Commission, no more than 2 of the members appointed may be
affiliated with the same political party. In a 5-member Commission, no
more than 3 members may be affiliated with the same political party.
However, in any county which has created a merit board or merit commission
for sheriff's employees under prior law, the members of that board or
commission shall serve out the unexpired portions of their respective terms
and shall carry out their duties in accordance with this Division.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)
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(55 ILCS 5/3-8004) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8004)
Sec. 3-8004.
Removal of Merit Commission.
No member of a Merit
Commission shall be removed except for palpable incompetence or malfeasance
in office upon written charges filed by or at the direction of the sheriff
or the county board and heard before the Board of Hearings provided for in
this Section. The chief judge for the judicial circuit in which the county
is situated and the 2 circuit judges who have longest held judicial office
shall constitute the Board of Hearing. If 2 or more circuit judges have
held judicial office for the same longest or next longest length of time,
choice among those circuit judges shall be made by lot. If there are only
2 circuit judges in the circuit embracing the county, then those 2 judges
shall select the third member of the Board of Hearing from among the
circuit judges in contiguous circuits.
The Board of Hearings shall hear and determine the charges and its
findings shall be final. If the charges are sustained, the member of the
Commission so charged shall be forthwith removed from office by the Board
of Hearings and the sheriff with the approval of a majority of the members
of the county board shall thereupon proceed to fill the vacancy created by
such removal. In any proceeding provided for in this Section, the Board of
Hearings and each member thereof, shall have power to administer oaths and
to compel by subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the
production of books and papers.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)
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(55 ILCS 5/3-8005) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8005)
Sec. 3-8005.
Meetings; officers.
As soon as practicable after the
members of the Merit Commission have been appointed, the sheriff shall call
the first meeting and they shall meet and organize by selecting a chairman,
a vice chairman and a secretary. The initial officers and their successor
shall be selected by the Commission from among its members for a term of 2
years or for the remainder of their term of office as a member of the
Commission, whichever is shorter. Two members of a three-member
Commission, or 3 members of a five-member Commission, shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business. The Commission shall hold regular
quarterly meetings and such other meetings as may be called by the Commission.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)
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(55 ILCS 5/3-8006) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8006)
Sec. 3-8006.
Appropriations.
A sufficient sum of
money shall be provided each year by the county board to carry out the
provisions of this Division. The county board may establish
per diem compensation for members of the Commission and shall allow
reimbursement for reasonable and necessary expenses.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)
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(55 ILCS 5/3-8007) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8007)
Sec. 3-8007. Duties and jurisdiction of commission. The Merit
Commission shall have the duties, pursuant to recognized merit principles
of public employment, of certification for employment and promotion, and,
upon complaint of the sheriff or State's Attorney as limited in this
Division, to discipline or discharge as the circumstances may warrant. All
full time deputy sheriffs shall be under the jurisdiction of this Act and
the county board may provide that other positions, including jail officers,
as defined in "An Act to revise the law in relation to jails and jailers",
approved March 3, 1874, as now or hereafter amended (repealed), shall be
under the jurisdiction of the Commission. There may be exempted from
coverage by resolution of the county board a "chief deputy" or "chief
deputies" who shall be vested with all authorities granted to deputy
sheriffs pursuant to Section 3-6015. "Chief Deputy" or "Chief Deputies" as
used in this Section include the personal assistant or assistants of the
sheriff whether titled "chief deputy", "undersheriff", or "administrative
assistant".
(Source: P.A. 99-642, eff. 7-28-16.)
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(55 ILCS 5/3-8008) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8008)
Sec. 3-8008.
Prior appointments.
Notwithstanding anything in this
Division to the contrary, any person certified pursuant to a merit system
in effect before January 1, 1981 shall remain under the jurisdiction of the
Commission. Any certified person appointed and serving before January 1,
1981 shall not be subject to the provisions of Section 3-8010.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)
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(55 ILCS 5/3-8009) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8009)
Sec. 3-8009.
Rules and regulations.
Pursuant to
recognized merit principles of public employment, the Commission
shall formulate, adopt and put into effect, rules, regulations and
procedures for its operation and the transaction of its business.
The Commission shall set standards and qualifications for each class.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)
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(55 ILCS 5/3-8010) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8010)
(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 103-623 )
Sec. 3-8010.
Certification of applicants.
The appointment of
all personnel subject to the jurisdiction of the Merit Commission shall
be made by the sheriff from those applicants who have been certified by
the Commission as being qualified for appointment. A Commission may, by
its rules and regulations, set forth the minimum requirements for
appointment to any position. In addition, the Commission's review of any
application may include examinations, investigations or any other method
consistent with recognized merit principles, which in the judgment of the
Commission is reasonable and practical for any particular classification.
Different examining procedures may be set for the examinations in different
classifications but all examinations in the same classification shall be
uniform. However, the Merit Commission may by regulation provide that
applicants who have served with another sheriff's office, a police
department, or any other law enforcement agency, or who are graduate law
enforcement interns as defined in the Law Enforcement Intern Training Act,
may be exempt from one or more of the minimum requirements for appointment.
Preference may be given in such appointments to persons who have honorably
served in the military or naval services of the United States.
The sheriff shall make appointments from those persons certified
by the Commission as qualified for appointment. If the sheriff rejects
any person so certified, the sheriff shall notify the Commission in writing
of such rejection.
The rules and regulations of a Commission shall provide that all
initial appointees shall serve a probationary period of 12 months during
which time they may be discharged at the will of the sheriff.
(Source: P.A. 92-83, eff. 7-12-01.)
(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 103-623 ) Sec. 3-8010. Certification of applicants. The appointment of all personnel subject to the jurisdiction of the Merit Commission shall be made by the sheriff from those applicants who have been certified by the Commission as being qualified for appointment. A Commission may, by its rules and regulations, set forth the minimum requirements for appointment to any position. In addition, the Commission's review of any application may include examinations, investigations or any other method consistent with recognized merit principles, which in the judgment of the Commission is reasonable and practical for any particular classification. Different examining procedures may be set for the examinations in different classifications but all examinations in the same classification shall be uniform. However, the Merit Commission may by regulation provide that applicants who have served with another sheriff's office, a police department, or any other law enforcement agency, or who are graduate law enforcement interns as defined in the Law Enforcement Intern Training Act, may be exempt from one or more of the minimum requirements for appointment. Preference may be given in such appointments to persons who have honorably served in the military or naval services of the United States. An applicant who is a veteran, as that term is defined in 38 U.S.C. 101(2), who was discharged honorably or generally under honorable conditions no later than 6 months before applying may request examination to occur before the next scheduled examination date and, if requested, may be examined as soon as possible prior to the next examination date following receipt of the application. Once the applicant passes the examination and all other requirements to be on an eligibility list, the applicant shall be immediately placed on the eligibility list. Nothing in this paragraph waives eligibility for the applicant to receive military preference points during the application process or employment. The sheriff shall make appointments from those persons certified by the Commission as qualified for appointment. If the sheriff rejects any person so certified, the sheriff shall notify the Commission in writing of such rejection. The rules and regulations of a Commission shall provide that all initial appointees shall serve a probationary period of 12 months during which time they may be discharged at the will of the sheriff. (Source: P.A. 103-623, eff. 1-1-25.)
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(55 ILCS 5/3-8011) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8011)
Sec. 3-8011.
Certification for promotion.
Whenever a position
in a higher rank is to be filled, the Merit Commission shall certify
to the sheriff the names of eligible persons who stand highest upon
the promotional register for the rank to which the position belongs.
The Commission shall make certifications for promotion on the basis
of ascertained merit, seniority of service, and physical and other
qualifying examinations.
The sheriff shall appoint from those whose names were certified.
If the sheriff rejects all persons so certified, he shall state his
reasons for such refusal in writing to the Commission.
All vacancies in all ranks of deputy sheriff above the
lowest shall be filled by promotion, except that the Merit
Commission may by regulation provide that a former sheriff may
be appointed by a successor sheriff of the same county
to any rank after he has been certified by the Commission or
that applicants who have served with another sheriff's
office, a police department, or any other law enforcement agency,
may be given credit for time so served and may receive
an initial appointment to a rank above the lowest.
Persons appointed to a higher rank shall be on probation in such
higher rank for a period of 12 months. Such appointees may be
demoted by the sheriff to their former rank at any time during the
period of probation, if, in the opinion of the sheriff, they have
failed to demonstrate the ability and the qualifications necessary
to furnish satisfactory service.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)
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(55 ILCS 5/3-8012) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8012)
Sec. 3-8012.
Political affiliation.
All appointments and promotions
shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this Division and the rules
and regulations of the Commission, without consideration of the political
affiliation of any applicant.
(Source: P.A. 86-962.)
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(55 ILCS 5/3-8013) (from Ch. 34, par. 3-8013)
Sec. 3-8013. Disciplinary measures. Disciplinary measures for actions
violating either the rules and regulations of the Commission or the internal
procedures of the sheriff's office may be taken by the sheriff. Such
disciplinary measures may include suspension of any certified person for
reasonable periods, not exceeding a cumulative
30 days in any 12-month period. However, on and after June 1, 2007, in any sheriff's office with a collective bargaining agreement covering the employment of department personnel, such disciplinary measures and the method of review of those measures shall be subject to mandatory bargaining, including, but not limited to, the use of impartial arbitration as an alternative or supplemental form of due process.
(Source: P.A. 95-136, eff. 1-1-08.)
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