SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois State Police announced today that a graduating class of new troopers will result in a boost for commercial vehicle enforcement. As 40 graduating cadets assume their new patrol duties around the state, veteran officers will begin training to intensify efforts to keep unsafe commercial rigs off Illinois highways.
Illinois State Police Director Sam W. Nolen said most of the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers (CVEOs) will be assigned to the Chicago metro area, where truck traffic is heaviest. "As traffic has increased in the Chicagoland area, so has the number of trucks serving the area's transportation needs," Nolen said. "These additional officers will help ensure that truckers who use Illinois highways do so with safe equipment, legal loads, and proper documentation."
Nolen said the newly-trained CVEOs, 28 in all, will be assigned to all areas of the state. Their responsibilities will include complete safety inspections of trucks and trailers, load securement, hazardous materials, and driver documentation, among others. Their training is scheduled to be completed by July 1.
Meanwhile, 40 graduating troopers will begin their field training in districts around the state. Their duties will be more general in nature, including traffic enforcement, helping stranded motorists, and responding to calls for assistance. Waiting in the wings to join them is a cadet class of 60, which will graduate in about six months. Nolen said the additional manpower, combined with a pledge to revive the Safe Neighborhoods Act, is indicative of Governor Ryan's commitment to public safety.
"We've been very fortunate in Illinois that Governor Ryan and the General Assembly have thrown their solid support behind law enforcement and traffic safety," Nolen said. "The dividends that we will realize down the road will be measured in lives saved," he concluded. |
