The official account of the Illinois State Police. This account is NOT monitored 24/7. DO NOT use X to report a crime. For emergencies, please dial 911.

Springfield, IL
Joined June 2010
We remember Trooper Forrest Spencer. Trooper Spencer was struck and killed by a vehicle while investigating an accident near Olmstead, Illinois. Trooper Spencer was standing on the side of the road when a vehicle smashed into a crowd, killing him and three bystanders. The driver was arrested and charged with manslaughter. Trooper Spencer was an 18-month veteran of the Illinois State Police; He was survived by his wife and two children. End of Watch, October 27, 1946 #NeverForget
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We remember Sergeant Anthony Millison. Sergeant Millison was killed when he fell from the Thornton-Blue Island Overpass on Interstate 57, in Dixmoor, while assisting at the scene of an accident. The overpass was extremely icy due to inclement weather. He was responding to another accident on the overpass when his vehicle slid on the ice and crashed into a barrier. Despite being injured, he began tending to other motorists who had also crashed. As he was assisting other motorists, he noticed another vehicle sliding towards him. He attempted to jump out of the vehicleโ€™s path by holding onto the overpass rail but fell to the concrete 47-feet below. He was transported to St. Francis Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Sergeant Millison was assigned to District Chicago and had served with the Illinois State Police for 10 years. He had previously served with the Illinois Department of Corrections for eight years and was a U.S. Air Force veteran. He is survived by his wife and son. End of Watch, October 27, 1997 #NeverForget
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๐Ÿค– ๐€๐ˆ ๐‚๐€๐ ๐‹๐Ž๐Ž๐Š ๐‘๐„๐€๐‹. ๐“๐‡๐€๐“ ๐ƒ๐Ž๐„๐’๐'๐“ ๐Œ๐„๐€๐ ๐ˆ๐“ ๐ˆ๐’. Technology can make it easier to create convincing messages, images, audio and video. Don't automatically trust something because it: โ€ข Looks professional. โ€ข Uses a familiar name. โ€ข Contains a photograph. โ€ข Sounds like someone you know. โ€ข Appears to come from a legitimate organization. Before sending money, sharing personal information, or acting on an unexpected request: ๐’๐“๐Ž๐. ๐“๐‡๐ˆ๐๐Š. ๐•๐„๐‘๐ˆ๐…๐˜. Use a trusted source to confirm the information before you act. Agree on a family code word. When something doesn't feel right, take a moment and check.
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๐ˆ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐จ๐ข๐ฌ ๐’๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ž ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐œ๐ž ๐„๐ฌ๐œ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ โ€˜๐Œ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ข๐ง ๐€๐œ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐งโ€™ ๐Š๐จ๐ซ๐ž๐š๐ง ๐–๐š๐ซ ๐•๐ž๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐š๐ง ๐‡๐จ๐ฆ๐ž ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ž ๐‹๐š๐ข๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐‘๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ˆ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐จ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐„๐‹๐‹๐„๐•๐ˆ๐‹๐‹๐„ โ€“ After 75 years, the Illinois State Police (ISP) will be escorting U.S. Army Private First-Class (PFC) John Robert Stovall home after being declared Missing in Action during the Korean War. ISP joins Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois National Guard, the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Metro East community in honoring PFC Stovall as his remains return home after being identified. PFC Stovall left his hometown of East St. Louis to serve in the Army during the Korean War. In July 1950, at the age of 19, he went missing while serving. For decades his remains lay unidentified and his name remained on the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agencyโ€™s (DPAA) list of those who were still missing. In June 2025, the DPAA positively identified his remains. PFC Stovell was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his extraordinary bravery. โ€‹ Read full news release: prez.ly/ujoe
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There's no single path to becoming an Illinois State Trooper. Graduating from college? Transitioning from military service? Working in another career but looking for something else? Supporting your family? Or, maybe you have simply realized you're ready to do something more meaningful with your life? Now accepting applications for CC157. Learn more or apply at IllinoisTrooper.com. #IllinoisStatePolice #BecomeATrooper #FutureTrooper #HigherExpectations #CareerWithPurpose
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โ€œI wanted to continue a life of service and purpose. The Illinois State Police gave me the opportunity to keep serving and make a difference.โ€ Trooper Kolton Johner Trooper Kolton Johner served in the military before joining the Illinois State Police. He ended his 8 years of service in the Army Reserves in 2023 as a Sergeant. He graduated from Lincoln Land Community College in 2018 with an associateโ€™s degree. Trooper Johner is a Trooper in the Division of Patrol and serves in Troop 4. He is in his 5th year with the Illinois State Police. ISP Outreach: Expanding the Badge
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๐‘๐ž๐ฆ๐ž๐ฆ๐›๐ž๐ซ: ๐ข๐Ÿ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐ž๐ž ๐จ๐ง๐ž ๐๐ž๐ž๐ซ, ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ž ๐š๐ซ๐ž ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ž๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐œ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ž ๐›๐ž๐ก๐ข๐ง๐. ๐’๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐š๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ž๐ฉ๐š๐ซ๐ž๐. Avoid swerving. Leaving your lane can lead to a more serious crash. If a collision is unavoidable, braking firmly while staying in your lane is often the safest option for you and your passengers. If you strike a deer, you may file your own crash report through ISPโ€™s Civilian Crash Reporting System for eligible crashes. Just visit the ISP website and choose Complete a Crash Report Online. isp.illinois.gov/CrashReportโ€ฆ Please drive carefully this season. #watchfordeer
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We remember Trooper Ben Seaton. Trooper Seaton was killed in an automobile accident at a gravel intersection when another car entered the intersection at the same time as his patrol car. He was ejected from the patrol car which then landed on top of him. He succumbed to his injuries en route to the hospital. Trooper Seaton had served with the Illinois State Police for seven years and was assigned to District 7. Trooper Seaton was survived by his wife and two children. End of Watch, October 24, 1949 #NeverForget
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We remember Trooper Harry Bradley. Trooper Bradley was killed in an automobile accident while on patrol in Lawrenceville. A taxicab backed in front of him, causing him to swerve to avoid a collision. His patrol car went down an embankment and turned on its side, ejecting him. He was transported to Lake County Memorial Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries seven hours later. Trooper Bradley served with the Illinois State Police for 11 years and was a WWII veteran. He was survived by his wife and four children. End of Watch, October 24, 1957 #NeverForget
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๐ˆ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐จ๐ข๐ฌ ๐’๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ž ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐œ๐ž ๐๐ซ๐ž๐š๐ค๐ฌ ๐†๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ž๐ฐ ๐Œ๐ž๐ญ๐ซ๐จ ๐„๐š๐ฌ๐ญ ๐‘๐ž๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐š๐ฅ ๐‡๐ž๐š๐๐ช๐ฎ๐š๐ซ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ ๐˜•๐˜ฆ๐˜ธ ๐˜ง๐˜ข๐˜ค๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜บ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ค๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜ด๐˜ข๐˜ง๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜บ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ด ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜Œ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜š๐˜ต. ๐˜“๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ค๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฎ๐˜ถ๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜บ ๐„๐€๐’๐“ ๐’๐“. ๐‹๐Ž๐”๐ˆ๐’ โ€“ The Illinois State Police (ISP), Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, the Capitol Development Board, and several other dignitaries, broke ground on the new, state-of-the art ISP Metro East Regional Headquarters today. โ€‹ The new Headquarters will be located at 2501 Lynch Ave. in East St. Louis and will enable ISP to be based where resources are needed most, to provide a sustained presence to increase safety for residents, and to become an anchor for economic development. Read full news release: prez.ly/S7ne
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๐ˆ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐จ๐ข๐ฌ ๐’๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ž ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐œ๐ž ๐’๐ช๐ฎ๐š๐ ๐‚๐š๐ซ ๐’๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐œ๐ค ๐Ž๐ง ๐ˆ๐‹-๐Ÿ’๐ŸŽ ๐ข๐ง ๐–๐ก๐ข๐ญ๐ž๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ž ๐‚๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ฒ ๐˜๐˜š๐˜— ๐˜Œ๐˜น๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ๐˜ด 13๐˜ต๐˜ฉ ๐˜”๐˜ฐ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ ๐˜–๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜“๐˜ข๐˜ธ-๐˜™๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜Š๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ฉ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง 2026 ๐‘๐Ž๐‚๐Š ๐…๐€๐‹๐‹๐’ โ€“ The Illinois State Police (ISP) experienced another Move Over Law-related crash on Illinois roadways. On October 22, 2026, at approximately 10:08 a.m., an ISP Trooper assigned to the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Bureau was conducting truck inspections with portable scales on IL-40 northbound just south of US-30 in Rock Falls. The ISP squad was parked with its emergency lights activated on the right shoulder. โ€‹ As the Trooper opened the driverโ€™s door to exit the vehicle, a white 2016 Ford box truck failed to move over and yield to the emergency lights and struck the driverโ€™s door of the ISP squad. Neither the truck driver nor Trooper were injured. The driver of the truck, 24-year-old Benjamin Vogel of Camanche, IA, was issued a citation for Improper Passing of a Stationary Emergency Vehicle Causing Property Damage to Another. Read full news release: prez.ly/a8ne
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Hundreds of students from several Chicago area high schools joined us at the House of Hope Arena for a FREE Teen Driver Safety Fair in honor of National Teen Driver Safety Week! Thanks to incredible teamwork and our partnership with State Farm and Rush University students experienced hands-on activities and learned important tips for safe driving. #TeenDriverSafetyWeek2026
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๐Ÿ”’ ๐˜๐Ž๐”๐‘ ๐ˆ๐๐…๐Ž๐‘๐Œ๐€๐“๐ˆ๐Ž๐ ๐ˆ๐’ ๐•๐€๐‹๐”๐€๐๐‹๐„ Your personal information can be valuable to criminals. Think twice before sharing or posting: โ€ข Social Security numbers โ€ข Driver's license information โ€ข Financial account information โ€ข Home addresses โ€ข Personal phone numbers โ€ข Birth dates โ€ข Passwords โ€ข Photos containing sensitive information Criminals can use pieces of information from different sources to build a profile of you. Protect your personal information the same way you protect your home, vehicle, and valuables. ๐“๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค ๐›๐ž๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ๐ž ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฌ๐ก๐š๐ซ๐ž.
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We remember Trooper Joseph Elliott. Trooper Elliott was killed in an automobile accident while he and another officer returned to the district headquarters in Peoria, Illinois. The officers were attempting to pass another car when the patrol car went out of control on the wet road surface. Trooper Elliott was pinned underneath the car and succumbed to his injuries several hours later. Trooper Elliott had served with the Illinois State Police for seven months and was assigned to District 8. Trooper Elliott was survived by his wife. End of Watch, October 20, 1933 #NeverForget
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During School Bus Safety Week, remember: If a school bus has flashing red lights, you must stop on: ๐Ÿ›‘ Two-lane roads ๐Ÿ›‘ One-way roads ๐Ÿ›‘ Only traffic going the same direction stops on four-lane roads. ๐Ÿ›‘Penalties start at $300 and a 3-month suspension. Stop for kids. Save lives. โค๏ธ
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October is Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Month. Sleep suffocation is the leading cause of reported child deaths in Illinois โ€” and many are preventable. Remember the ABCs of safe sleep: ๐€๐‹๐Ž๐๐„. ๐๐€๐‚๐Š. ๐‚๐‘๐ˆ๐. Every nap, every night. Keep cribs free of blankets, pillows, and toys. Adult beds, couches, swings, and car seats are not safe for sleep. More tips: dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?itโ€ฆ Together, we can help keep Illinois babies safe. ๐Ÿ’™
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๐’๐ญ๐ž๐ฉ ๐ˆ๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐š ๐‚๐š๐ซ๐ž๐ž๐ซ ๐“๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐‚๐ก๐š๐ง๐ ๐ž๐ฌ ๐‹๐ข๐ฏ๐ž๐ฌ โ€œWhen I was in my early twenties, I was going to college and working evenings at a gas station. Even then, I felt a calling to do something moreโ€”something that mattered, something that helped people in moments when they needed it most. One evening, an officer stopped for gas and suggested I apply to the local police department as a 911 Telecommunicator. That small moment of encouragement changed the course of my life. I soon applied to both the local police department and the sheriffโ€™s department for a 911 Telecommunicator/Matron position. After interviewing with both agencies, I felt a growing excitement about the possibility of joining law enforcement and serving the community that raised me. I accepted a position with the sheriffโ€™s department and stepped into the role of a 911 Telecommunicator at a time when the entire system was still new to our small community. It was a period of transformationโ€”computers were just being introduced, pen and paper systems were fading, and communities were transitioning to standardized 911 addresses. Change was constant, and I loved being part of something that was evolving to better protect and serve people. As technology grew, so did my desire to learn more, to do more, and to challenge myself. That drive led me to apply for a Telecommunicator position with the Illinois State Police. I began my ISP career in January 2000, and from the very start, I knew I had found my purpose. Through intensive training, strong mentorship, and continued professional development, I became a certified Telecommunicator and discovered just how impactful this career could be. At ISP, technology quickly advanced Computer Aided Dispatch, statewide land mobile radio systems, touch screen operations, and more. The responsibilities grew as well. Being an ISP Telecommunicator means managing multiple emergencies at once, tracking officer locations, coordinating with countless partners, and answering both emergency and non emergency calls from the public. It is demanding work, but it is deeply meaningful. It is a career built on courage, compassion, and the unwavering commitment to help others, even on their hardest days. Not everyone is called to this type of work, but for those who are, it becomes more than a job. It becomes a purpose, a passion, and a second family. This career also offers meaningful pathways for advancement; something reflected in my own journey. Over the years, dedication, continued learning, and a commitment to service led me to where I am today as the Deputy Director of the Division of Statewide 9 1 1. It is a reminder that the opportunities within this field are wide ranging for those who choose to pursue them. If you have drive, strong multitasking abilities, and the desire to work in a career that brings growth, accomplishment, and community, I encourage you to explore the Illinois State Police Telecommunicator positions listed below and apply today. You will never regret the opportunities you seize, only the ones you walk away from.โ€ - Cher Clodfelter, Division of Statewide 911 Deputy Director Join the ISP team as a Telecommunicator and step into a career that will challenge you, shape you, and reward you in ways you never expected. It will push your limits, strengthen your skills, and bring moments of emotion, pride, and fulfillment that stay with you forever. Most of all, it will give you the honor of saying, โ€œI am an Illinois State Police Telecommunicator, and I am here to help you.โ€ Apply here: bit.ly/4BcDVUJ
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Please move over... For first responders, for tow trucks, for construction workers, for everyone. Move over for ๐„๐•๐„๐‘๐˜๐Ž๐๐„ โ€“ All vehicles, no matter what, every time. Move over and slow down. It's not only the law, but it could also save a life.
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Stay focused behind the wheel. Distractions can wait. Your safety matters more than any call, snack, or text. #Buckleup #DontDrinkandDrive #DropItAndDrive #SlowDown #MoveOver
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On June 2, 2026, Trooper Seth Gooch responded to a call for a possible suicidal subject on the Jefferson Barracks Bridge (I 255) over the Mississippi River in the south metro St. Louis area. As he arrived, he witnessed the subject, Miss Patti, jump before he could intervene. Trooper Gooch immediately scanned the waters below and eventually located her drifting in the riverโ€™s strong current, more than two miles from the point where she entered the water. He radioed for assistance and drove downstream until he found individuals with a boat, who helped him locate Miss Patti. She was pulled from the water and taken to the hospital for treatment. In the days that followed, Trooper Gooch visited Miss Patti to check on her progress and encourage her that her life is worth living. Miss Patti asked us to share her story. She is grateful to be alive and continues to recover from the effects of that day. She also sent a photo and message for us to post. This week, Troop 8 received a special visit from Miss Patti as she personally thanked Trooper Gooch for helping save her life. We are grateful to see her smiling and proud of Trooper Gooch and all who responded for their dedication to protecting the safety and well-being of everyone in our communities. A coordinated multi-agency effort supported this life-saving response, including: ๐ŸšจIllinois Department of Transportation Emergency Patrol Vehicle ๐ŸšจTwo Good Samaritans who attempted to stop her from jumping ๐ŸšจRiver Diving and Salvage, who assisted Trooper Gooch on the river ๐ŸšจColumbia Police Department, who deployed a drone ๐ŸšจColumbia Fire Department rescue boat ๐ŸšจMonroe County Sheriffโ€™s Office ๐ŸšจMehlville Fire/EMS If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available 24/7. Please call or text 988 for support. #ThankATrooper
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