Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (ILEAP)


ILEAP Director Jeff Hamer Links

 ILEAP and Use of Force Certification Director Jeff Hamer

[email protected]
309.333.0684

For information about ILEAP or to learn how to get started, contact ILEAP Director Jeff Hamer. 

ILEAP Grant Opportunity!

There has never been a better time to begin your agency's accreditation journey.

ILACP and ILEAP are excited to announce a new grant-funded initiative designed to help agencies achieve accreditation by eliminating financial barriers and reducing the administrative burden often associated with the process.

We are seeking 24 Illinois law enforcement agencies to participate in our new grant. Essentially, we have crafted a fool-proof plan to remove financial roadblocks and reduce the administrative footprint and time it takes to achieve ILEAP accreditation.   

What Participating Agencies Receive:

  • Reimbursement of Tier I or Tier II accreditation startup costs ($1,500 or $3,000) during the first year
  • Reimbursement for the PowerDMS Accreditation Module (approximately $650) during the first year
  • Access to an experienced accreditation coach who will guide your accreditation manager through the process from start to finish

Eligibility Requirements

To participate, agencies must:

  • Be a new accreditation applicant (currently accredited agencies are not eligible)
  • Pursue Tier I or Tier II ILEAP accreditation
  • Attend the Accreditation Manager Certification Course in 2027

We strongly encourage agencies to send their accreditation manager to the certification course as early as possible. Attending the training during the I-PAC Conference is the most cost-effective option and provides valuable networking and educational opportunities.

Why Act Now?

Accreditation strengthens policies, enhances professionalism, improves accountability, and demonstrates a commitment to excellence in public safety. With startup costs covered and personalized coaching available, this grant removes many of the traditional obstacles agencies may face when considering accreditation.

NOTE ABOUT STANDARDS: ILEAP standards were revised in 2022 and are SAFE-T Act compliant. See the link below to download the THIRD EDITION of the ILEAP Manual.

 

ILEAP DOCUMENTS

ILEAP RESOURCES

  • View the May 2022 ILEAP 3rd Edition Webinar here to learn how and when to update to the 3rd Edition, how to save and copy over attachments, and do a side by side comparison of the 2nd and 3rd Editions.
    • Visit the Power DMS web site for more information. 
  • View the September 2021 ILEAP Webinar here to learn about ILEAP and PowerDMS. 
  • View the March 2018 ILEAP Webinar here to learn about ILEAP and PowerDMS.
    • Visit the Power DMS web site for more information.
  • The Illinois Police Accreditation Coalition (IPAC) is an organization dedicated to the concept of accreditation. In support of this mission, it provides a network for member agencies that encourages communication, cooperation, support, and the sharing of valuable resources, which may include sample policies, law updates, and mock assessments.

  • For the best vinyl ILEAP stickers for squads, windows, and entry doors, reach out to Natalie Divan at [email protected].  She is the Graphics Design Manager at Western Illinois University’s Visual Productions Center.  They produce high quality ILEAP stickers at a very affordable rate.  

  • Click here for the COMMAND article "An Inside Look at an ILEAP Assessment; at a 'First in the Nation' Agency in Illinois" by Retired Chief Jeff Hamer.

ILEAP ACCREDITATION VIDEO TUTORIALS:

Maintaining Accreditation 

SUMMARY of ILEAP

The Standards

Standards were updated in 2022 and are SAFE-T Act compliant. The standards are divided into four general subject areas: Administration, Operations, Personnel, and Training.  All are mandatory except for those that are “not applicable” by function. The two tiers are not based on size, but on how comprehensive the accreditation.

  • Tier One has 69 standards;
  • Tier Two has 181 standards.

Direct Costs

2025 Fee Update:

We will be implementing a slight increase in fees, effective Jan. 1, 2025. This adjustment will apply only to agencies beginning the accreditation process in the new year. The new fee structure will be as follows:

Tier I:

  • Initial Start-Up Cost - $1,500
  • Annual Fee Starting in Year 2 - $500

Tier II:

  • Initial Start-Up Cost - $3,000
  • Annual Fee Starting in Year 2 - $1,000

If an agency chooses to upgrade from Tier I to Tier II, the only additional payment required will be the difference between the two initial start-up costs ($1,500), payable in the year the change is made.

Agencies that applied for or received accreditation or reaccreditation before Jan. 1, 2025, will begin paying the new annual fees during the year of their next reaccreditation.

Please note that payment of the accreditation initial start-up cost must be paid at the time of application and prior the process beginning. Once the initial start-up payment is received, both the department and the assessors will work diligently to complete the assessment within one year with up to one (1) six-month extension will be granted. 

On-Site Assessment

The on-site consists of two days of file review, interviews, and ride-alongs. The assessors arrive the night before to meet and plan, and then they proceed to the PD around 8:00 a.m. the next day. There is a two-hour phone-in session, but no public hearing.  The exit interview is between noon and 4:00 p.m. on day two.  The on-site can be accomplished in two days because most of the files will be reviewed off-site prior to the assessors’ arrival and travel time is limited.

Council Review

The lead assessor submits an Assessment Report to the ILEAP Accreditation Council Chair, who reviews and distributes the report to the Council for its review and action. If granted, accreditation is valid for four (4) years.  

Award Ceremony

A member of the ILACP Board of Officers, the ILEAP Director, or the ILEAP Coordinator will present the plaque honoring a department for achieving accreditation. This will take place at a local ceremony (City Council meeting, Village Board meeting, Department meeting, etc.).

ILEAP Council Chair:

Jeff Wold - Chief of Police, Seneca 

ILEAP Council Members:

Jeff Wold - Chairman
Frank Kaminski - Retired Park Ridge Police Chief
Patrick Solar - Retired Chief, UWP Associate Professor
Dr. William McCarty - UIC Associate Professor
Shelly Camden - Director of Northwestern University Center for Public Safety
Jeffrey Fritz - Ret. ILETSB Deputy Director, Ret. Canton Police Chief, Former Canton Mayor
Ed Wojcicki - Ret. ILACP Executive Director
Scott Risolute - ICJIA
Ghida Neukirch - City Manager, Highland Park, IL

ILEAP Council Liaison:

Holly Nearing - Ret. Champaign Deputy Chief for Professional Standards