Your feedback ensures we stay focused on the facts that matter to you most—take our survey
Police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in Illinois
| Police hiring, training, and discipline |
|---|
|
| • Police collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) • Ballotpedia CBA dashboard •Reform proposals •CBA areas of inquiry and disagreement •Arguments about police collective bargaining • Index of articles about criminal justice policy |
| Click here for more analysis of police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements by state and city on Ballotpedia |
This page provides an overview of policies related to the hiring, training, and discipline of police officers in Illinois. It is part of an analysis of police union collective bargaining agreements and related arrangements with police unions concerning hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in the 50 states and top 100 cities by population.
Background
Ballotpedia in 2023 examined the collective bargaining agreements, statutes, and regulatory codes governing the 50 states and the top 100 US cities by population through the lens of a series of research questions related to police hiring, training, and discipline.
Some of the hiring, training, and discipline standards for police officers not established by statutes or regulations arise from negotiations with police unions. Those negotiations are often codified in collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). Those agreements are the contracts that states and cities sign following negotiations with police unions. Some states and cities restrict collective bargaining, but may still negotiate with police unions using other methods. After negotiating with the unions, those jurisdictions sometimes establish police standards through documents including memoranda of understanding or meet and confer agreements.
Results
The tables below link to each question Ballotpedia used to analyze the states and cities and indicate how Illinois handles police hiring, training, and discipline. To see the provisions Ballotpedia used to support these results, click here.
CBA basics
| CBA basics | Results |
|---|---|
| Is there a CBA with the police union? | YES |
| Is the current CBA publicly available online? | YES |
Discipline and accountability
| Discipline and accountability | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA forbid the transfer or reassignment of an officer as a form of discipline? | NO |
| Do officers have a right to request third-party arbitration for grievances, including over disciplinary actions? | YES |
Condition: Grievances may be submitted to an independent arbitrator if agreed upon by the union-employer grievance committee; Selection: Both parties agree on an independent arbitrator; Provider: The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service or American Arbitration Association can provide a list of seven arbitrators to choose from; Arbitrator authority: The arbitrator determines the arbitrability of the dispute and then determines the merits of the disputeReprimands contributing to suspension, discharge, or discipline resulting in economic loss have the right to be challenged in an arbitration proceeding. | |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to discipline for misconduct? | YES |
Primary discipline authority: State of Illinois, Police Department; Types: Suspension, discharge, written reprimand, oral reprimand; Restricted aspects: Counseling not considered disciplinary action; Challenge/appeal process: Union grievance procedureAny written reprimand shall be purged from all records when more than 15 months have elapsed since employee was last warned for such an offense. | |
| Does the CBA explicitly allow for a state ombudsman outside particular police departments to hold law enforcement officers accountable for misconduct? | NO |
Legal limitations or provisions
| Legal limitations or provisions | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the city CBA prohibit felons from becoming law enforcement officers? | NO |
| Are there any statutes or regulations that prohibit collective bargaining with police unions? | NO |
| Does the state have a "police bill of rights" statute or regulation? | YES |
Entitled "Uniform Peace Officers' Disciplinary Act." Outlines officer rights under disciplinary procedures and procedure for interrogation. | |
Training and counseling
Community relations and oversight
| Community relations and oversight | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA reference citizen review boards? | NO |
| Does the CBA have provisions related to community policing? | NO |
Investigations
| Investigations | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to misconduct investigations? | YES |
Disciplinary and termination action | |
| Does the CBA require notice to officers of investigations? | NO |
| Does the CBA determine a timeline for investigations? | NO |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to compensation during misconduct investigations? | NO |
Evidence and records
| Evidence and records | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA regulate processes for retaining officer disciplinary records? | YES |
Record storage: N/A; Storage authority: N/A; Types of records: Written reprimands; Timeline: Any written reprimand shall be purged from all records when more than 15 months have elapsed since employee was last warned for such an offense; Access and use: N/A; Use in decisions: N/A | |
| Does the CBA have provisions related to the use of body-worn cameras or body-worn camera video evidence? | NO |
Qualifications and evaluation
| Qualifications and evaluation | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA require performance evaluations? | NO |
| Does the CBA restrict licensing procedures for law enforcement officers or departments? | NO |
Union authority
| Union authority | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA limit union authority to pay and benefits issues? | NO |
| Does the CBA give the union the power to approve or disapprove new training programs for law enforcement officers? | NO |
| Does the CBA have provisions involving the union in the process for promotions, unit assignments, and transfers? | YES |
Prior to implementation of new system for positions, union shall review and provide input | |
See also
Footnotes
| |||||||||||||||||
