Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board

The committee discussed and approved several training-related initiatives, including the 2026 Basic Law Enforcement, Corrections, Part-Time, and Other Board academy courses. Discussions included updates to the curriculum for Basic Law Enforcement and Basic Correctional Officer programs, such as adding courses on safeguarding children of arrested parents and autism awareness. The committee also approved the statewide Collaborative Crisis Co-Response course and the Law Enforcement Crisis Response Therapy Dog Certification Initiative. Additionally, the committee reviewed and approved updates to the In-Service Guidelines for Mandated Training in response to new statutory requirements concerning autism, human trafficking, and trauma-informed response.

The meeting covered financial, personnel, legislative, and litigation matters. Key topics included the approval of fiscal expenditures, the status of the FY26 Camera Grant application process, and personnel updates regarding staff headcount and administrative law judge recruitment. The legal team provided updates on the implementation of recently passed legislation, specifically HB 1321, and discussed future training requirements for CIT and Juvenile Officers. Furthermore, the committee reviewed the status of active litigation cases and received a progress report on the ongoing implementation of the SAFE-T Act, including certification review processes.

The Quarterly Board Meeting agenda included standard procedures such as call to order, roll call, pledge of allegiance, and chairman's remarks. Key business items involved receiving reports from standing and advisory committees, including Curriculum and School Standards, Finance & Legislative, and Waiver Review Committees, which covered approvals for 2026 training schedules and policy reaffirmations. Executive matters addressed financial items like FY26 expenditures and the FY27 Governor Proposed Budget, personnel matters, legislative and litigation updates, and professional standards reports, including Notice of Violations and Waiver Disposition Quarterly Reports. Program progress reports covered the Executive Institute, the ASSIST Program, CIT, Mental Health Training, Therapy Dog Initiative, Specialized Programs, Basic & Part Time Training, and Information Technology updates. Unfinished business involved the SAFE-T Act Update and mandated annual training compliance for Board members. New business included approval for updates to the Basic Law Enforcement (BLE) and Basic Corrections (BCO) curriculum and the implementation of the new SAFE-T Act Compliance Verification process. Public input was also received.

The meeting commenced without an established quorum, proceeding with subject matter discussions only. Training segments covered the investigation process for police conduct and officer-involved shootings by the Cook County State's Attorney Office. Further training included discussions on Illinois Municipal League resources, statutory requirements for police boards, and an overview of the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training course covering mental health disorders, legal issues, and de-escalation techniques. The Director of Community Policing also presented on the importance of community engagement and building trust. Upon establishing a quorum after recess, the Panel nominated and selected Katie Hill as Chairperson, tabling the selection of the vice-chairperson. Updates were provided on the hearing process, and the Panel moved into a closed session to discuss pending Formal Complaints (2025-D-000001, 2025-D-000002, and 2025-D-000003), ultimately voting to refer these complaints to an administrative law judge and to allow Board staff to effect service on the respondents. Future meeting dates and locations were discussed, and the meeting adjourned.

The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board meeting includes discussions on various topics such as recertification of academy courses, mandatory firearms training, application for school/course certification including School Resource Officer (SRO) 8-Hour Update, Universal High Risk Traffic Stop (HRTS) Course, Universal High Risk Traffic Stop (HRTS) Refresher Course, and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) for Corrections. The board will also discuss in-service, advanced and specialized courses for certification/recertification, Lead Homicide Investigators 32-Hours Approved Continuing Education Courses for certification/recertification, updates to BLE & BCO Curriculum, CIT Updates, and In-Service Updated Guidelines for Mandated Training.