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Is there only one Academy in IL? My buddy just graduated from Champaigne (Rockford Park District Police), and thats a hell of a drive. I'm starting to apply in IL for the PD's close to my area, since I live on the border (IL/WI). Also, a question about Drivers License. They all say must be able to obtain an IL DL. Does it matter if we hold a valid DL in the state we live in? I guess thats a question for the specific PD, but I just felt like throwing that in for sh*ts and giggles.

They all say must be able to obtain an IL DL. Does it matter if we hold a valid DL in the state we live in?

they are going to pretty much require you to move to Illinois since you can not have a driver's license from some where you don't live. The only exception I know for this is the military and they usually have DL's from there home state

bigwillie says ...

if you are looking into being just a part-timer on a PD.  Then you can go to PTI through our MTUs(Mobile Training Units) which is 1 day a week ussually in a different town each week.  It is still a 400 hour class it is just going to take a hell of alot longer to finish and it is alot easier on PT officers that have full time jobs. 

 

As for the full-time position I thought there was only Champaigne.

Thats what I thought too. I was just hoping there was something closer to home, lol.

LPGIRL says ...

How do you attend the academy without getting hired through a P.D. first? I thought you get hired in a P.D. and then you are sent to the academy and after you graduate you are a FTO for 1 year. Just thought I'd ask the experts

In Illinois you have to be hired by a dept. FIRST then go to PTI.  If my reading of the original question is right he was asking IF he gets hired he wanted to go an academy close to his part of the state.

Like I said check into our MTU's that are through the Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board here is acouple links if you would like to get a hold of 1 and find out about the Part-time PTI

http://www.nemrt.com/

http://www.nitab.org/

http://www.ptb.state.il.us/training/mtu/unit_pages/unit1.htm  MTU #1 site link is broken so click this link for info

SEO,

From what I recall about DLs....If the agency you work for allows you to maintain your residence in WI, then you'll be able to keep your WI DL. For example, McHenry CO Sheriffs will let you live across the line, but you won't be able to have a take home squad....(thats on their site & what I was told by them).

As for academies...there's 6 total.

Police Training Institute in Champaign/Urbana

Illinois State Police Academy  in Springfield 

Southwestern Illinois College Police Academy  waaay down by St Louis

and 3 in the Chicagoland area.... Cook County Sheriff's Police Academy ,  Suburban Law Enforcement Academy College of Dupage ,

and last but not least.... Chicago Police Academy (shhh, they think they're the only cops in Illinois)

I went to PTI full time academy in Champaign and there were Officers there from all over the state, top to bottom.  From what i've been told by fellow officers, PTI is the preferred academy of most agencies in IL.  Except for Chicago PD, they have their own and the state police academy.  That's why there is an extensive waiting list at PTI to get people in, and Yes, you have to be hired by an agency in order to get into PTI.

bigwillie says ...

The list is so long to get in they allow you to work for up 18 months before going to PTI from what I hear and if you don't make it in by then I think they have to take you off the street till you get through

Holy crap, my buddy I mentioned earlier got hired and was sent to PTI within a week. He didn't even have time to give a two week notice here, obviously lol. The boss understood, but he wasn't too happy nevertheless.

I went to Chicago Police Academy 16 years ago.  Great training.  They hit heavy on Human Behavior and Officer Safety.  Not a lot about traffic stops.  Law covered pretty good.  Did I mention tons of Officer Safety.  And then the Officer Safety.  It was drilled into those skulls full of mush.

I went to SLEA. It was OK, same as PTI, just not as much running.

You can go to the academy without being hired by a PD. What happens is you apply to the ILETSB and go as if your sponsored. You have to pay the total cost of the academy and any gear/uniforms you need. It's hard to go that route because you generally cant hold a job while your attending the academy.

All departments have diffrent FTO periods. I have nerver heard of one lasting a year. I would think if you needed a year to train, this wouldn't be the job for you.