Illinois State Police - Traffic Enforcement

Traffic Enforcement

Illinois State Police currently use various methods for speed limit enforcement on Illinois highways. Hand-held and moving RADAR, LIDAR, pacing, air speed utilizing the ISP fleet of aircraft, and time-distance measurement. The IL State Police uses typical marked units (Crown Victorias, Impalas, and Chargers) as well as unmarked units of vehicles ranging from Crown Victorias to Grand Prix GTPs to LS-1 powered Z28s to Mustang GTs. The Mustangs, Camaros, and other vehicles are for a program created to combat aggressive driving and speeding. Lightbars used on marked units are Code 3 X2100 LED units, Federal Signal Legend units and Code 3 MX7000 halogen/strobe units. Prior to that, it was a mixture of the Code 3 MX7000s and Federal Signal JetSonics and Federal Signal Vistas. ISP had experimented with Whelen Edge Strobe bars but decided to go with the Code 3s instead.

Since 1986, the Illinois State Police has patrolled Chicago Expressways (Districts 3 and 4 which merged to become District Chicago). Illinois also announced in February 2006, that photo radar mounted in vans would be used for speed enforcement in construction zones statewide. Recently, the program has been expanded for speed enforcement throughout the state. Though the vans are manned by State Police troopers, a private company, ACS State and Local Solutions, provides the vans for a fee and receives a bonus of $15 per ticket issued.

A Motorcycle Enforcement Bureau (MEB) was created in 2006 consisting of 41 officers in six squads dispersed throughout the state. 50 Harley-Davidson FLHTPI Electra Glide's were leased for this use by the MEB. Due to cost-cutting measures in mid 2010, the Motorcycle Enforcement Bureau was disbanded, however some motorcycle officers remain in the larger Districts such as Chicago and East St. Louis.

As of late 2007, all ISP districts have moved their radio operations to the new STARCOM 21 (700/800Mhz Motorola Project 25) trunked radio system.