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Public Act 097-0948
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| HB4983 Enrolled | LRB097 19940 CEL 65231 b |
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AN ACT concerning State government.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Department of Natural Resources |
(Conservation) Law of the
Civil Administrative Code of Illinois |
is amended by changing Section 805-535 as follows:
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(20 ILCS 805/805-535) (was 20 ILCS 805/63b2.2)
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Sec. 805-535. Conservation Police Officers. In addition to
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the arrest powers prescribed by law, Conservation
Police |
Officers are conservators of the peace and as such have all |
powers
possessed by policemen, except that they may exercise |
those powers
anywhere
in this State. Conservation Police |
Officers acting under the authority
of this Section are |
considered employees of the Department and are subject
to its |
direction, benefits, and legal protection.
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Any person hired by the Department of Natural Resources |
after July 1, 2001
for a sworn law enforcement position or |
position that has arrest authority
must meet the following |
minimum professional standards:
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(1) At the time of hire, the person must hold (i) a |
2-year degree and 3
consecutive years of experience as a |
police officer with the same law
enforcement agency or (ii) |
a 4-year degree.
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(2) The person must possess the skill level and |
demonstrate the ability
to
swim at a competency level |
approved by the Department in an administrative rule. The |
Department's administrative rule must require the person |
to use techniques established by the American Red Cross.
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(3) The person must successfully obtain certification |
as a
police officer under the standards in effect at that |
time unless that person
already holds that certification |
and must also successfully complete the
Conservation
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Police Academy training program, consisting of not less |
than 400 hours of
training, within
one year of hire.
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Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, all persons |
who either (i) have been honorably discharged and who have been |
awarded a Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, |
Korean Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq |
Campaign Medal, or Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal |
by the United States Armed Forces or (ii) are active members of |
the Illinois National Guard or a reserve component of the |
United States Armed Forces and who have been awarded a |
Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Korean |
Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq |
Campaign Medal, or Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal |
as a result of honorable service during deployment on active |
duty, are deemed to have met the collegiate educational |
requirements for a sworn law enforcement position or position |
that has arrest authority. |
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The Department of Natural Resources must adopt an |
administrative rule
listing those disciplines that qualify as |
directly related areas of study
and must also adopt, by
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listing, the American Red Cross standards and testing points |
for a skill
level equivalent
to an intermediate level swimmer.
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(Source: P.A. 96-972, eff. 7-2-10.)
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon |
becoming law.
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