SR0934 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0934 LRB102 26880 LAW 37974 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Illinois State Police will celebrate 100 years of service to the State of Illinois on April 1, 2022; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois State Police began as part of the Department of Public Works and Buildings with the appointment of former Kankakee Police Chief John Stack as the agency's first superintendent and the first eight highway patrolmen on April 1, 1922; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois State Police's initial mission was to enforce the road weight laws of the State, patrolling 1,110 miles of newly paved road; the agency used Superintendent John Stack's residence as its original headquarters, and the patrolmen's equipment consisted of surplus World War I uniforms and motorcycles, which included portable scales in their sidecars for weighing trucks to determine overloads; Superintendent Stack held officers to a higher standard than most officers in the State at the time, and this legacy of exemplary ethics and standards has continued to this day; and

WHEREAS, From its humble beginnings, the Illinois State Police has grown into 21 patrol districts, eight investigative zones, six operational forensic science laboratories, and five regional crime scene services commands; it is now comprised of several divisions, including Academy and Training, Patrol, Criminal Investigation, Forensic Services, Justice Services, Statewide 9-1-1, and Internal Investigation; and

WHEREAS, As of 2021, more than 70 troopers of the Illinois State Police have made the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives in service to the State and its citizens; and

WHEREAS, The mission of the Illinois State Police is to promote public safety with Integrity, Service, and Pride to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Illinois; over the years, the agency has continued its mission while evolving in law enforcement duties, expectations, responsibilities, training, equipment, technology, and objectives, making it one of the preeminent law enforcement departments; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois State Police is currently helmed by Director Brendan F. Kelly; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare the month of April 2022 as Illinois State Police Centennial Month in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the Illinois State Police, the Illinois State Police Heritage Foundation, and Illinois Troopers Lodge #41.