To be eligible to take part in the examination process for police patrol officer, you must possess the following qualifications:

  1. At the time of the application close date, applicant must not be less than twenty-one (21) years of age or over thirty-five (35) years of age; provided, however, that in cases where an applicant has had special training or experience in police related work, the Commission may, at its discretion, accept applicants thirty-six (36) years of age or older with one (1) year of increased age allowed for each year of actual service. The maximum of such age allowance shall be four (4) years. No applicant shall be appointed to the uniformed police service until he or she has attained the age of twenty-one (21) years.
  2. Applicant must have no felony convictions or any disqualifying misdemeanor convictions identified by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board.
  3. Applicant may not be prohibited by any court action and/or state or federal statute from carrying a firearm.
  4. Applicant must have a high school diploma or equivalent.

You MUST provide documentation showing proof of eligibility with your background packet upon completion of the physical and written testing (e.g. High School diploma, college transcript(s), DD214).

At time of appointment, a Police Patrol Officer must be a U.S. Citizen and must possess a valid Illinois driver’s license. Prior to appointment, eligible applicants must be accepted for membership in the Decatur Police Pension Fund. Generally, applicants must be in good health, be of good moral character and not possess an adverse police record. Applicants should possess physical strength and agility sufficient to handle aggressive situations, be able to work under adverse weather conditions, be able to think and act quickly in emergency situations and possess good general intelligence and emotional stability.

Any questions or correspondence concerning the hiring or recruitment process, please contact:

Decatur Police Department
Professional Standards Division
707 W. South Side Drive
Decatur, Illinois 62521
(217) 424-2743

Email Deputy Chief Brad Allen
Email Sergeant Josh Sheets