(235 ILCS 5/3-4) (from Ch. 43, par. 100)
    Sec. 3-4. Authority to conduct investigations. The State Commission shall obtain, pursuant to the provisions of the Personnel Code, such inspectors, clerks, and other employees as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act, or to perform the duties and exercise the powers conferred by law upon the State Commission. The inspectors obtained by the State Commission shall not be peace officers and shall not exercise any powers of a peace officer.
    The State Commission shall have the power to appoint investigators to conduct investigations, searches, seizures, arrests, and other duties required to enforce the provisions of this Act, on behalf of the State Commission, and to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the People of the State of Illinois. The Commission's investigators are peace officers and have all the powers possessed by police officers in cities and by sheriffs. State Commission investigators may exercise these powers throughout the State whenever enforcing the provisions of this Act, subject to the rules and orders of the State Commission. No State Commission investigator may have peace officer status or may exercise police powers unless: (1) he or she successfully completes the basic police training course mandated and approved by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board; or (2) the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board waives the training requirement by reason of the investigator's prior law enforcement experience, training, or both.
    The Executive Director must authorize to each investigator of the State Commission and to any other employee of the Department exercising the powers of a peace officer a distinct badge that, on its face: (1) clearly states that the badge is authorized by the State Commission; and (2) contains a unique identifying number. No other badge shall be authorized by the State Commission. Nothing in this Section prohibits the Executive Director from issuing shields or other distinctive identification to employees performing security or regulatory duties who are not peace officers if the Executive Director determines that a shield or distinctive identification is needed by the employee to carry out his or her responsibilities.
(Source: P.A. 101-37, eff. 7-3-19.)