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Promotional Process

All notifications throughout the Promotional Process will be made by e-mail only from the Illinois State Police Merit Board. 

 

Questions regarding the Promotional Process should be e-mailed to the Merit Board at: promotions@ispmeritboard.org.

 

Promotional Process Update

 

Participation in the SPEAR P3 Ratings Process is no longer a requirement to be eligible to participate in the State Police Merit Board’s Promotional Testing Process.  Moving forward, including the 2026 process, P3 rating scores will no longer be used in calculating final promotional test scores. 

Previously, final promotional scores were calculated using three components: Job Knowledge Exam, Assessment Exercise, and P3 Rating score, which together comprised 95% of the final score.  The remaining five points were awarded for seniority, calculated at 0.2 points for each month served in an officer’s current hard-rank.

Promotional certification scores will now be based solely on the Job Knowledge Exam score and Assessment Exercise results, which together comprise 95% of the final score.  The calculation for seniority remains unchanged and has a maximum of five points.

Additionally, the Merit Board will utilize statewide certification lists for each rank, rather than work unit specific lists (such as Troops, Zones, or regions).  The top 65% of each statewide list will now be considered equally eligible for promotional consideration.  These changes promote fairness and consistency by ensuring all candidates are held to the same certification score threshold, rather than varied thresholds based on list placement. 

TEST ANNOUNCEMENT

 

The State Police Merit Board's 2026 Promotional Process Announcement for those testing to the rank of Sergeant and Master Sergeant is linked below. 

 

2026 PROMOTIONAL PROCESS ANNOUNCEMENT

TEST DATES

 

The target Master Sergeant Job Knowledge and Assessment Center will be administered August 31-Setpember 4, 2026, in Springfield. 

The target Sergeant Job Knowledge and Assessment Center will be administered September 14-Setpember 18, 2026, in Springfield. 

 

All candidates will be assigned an individual appointment date and time. The Job Knowledge Exam and Assessment Center will be administered in-person only, on the same day, at the location determined by the Merit Board.  Specific information will be provided to candidates at a later date.  

READING LISTS

 

The 2026 Reading List for each rank are linked below. 
 
 
Directive Updates: 
ISP Directive SRV-017 was previously titled Personnel Early Warning System, and is now listed as SRV-017 Resiliency Support System.   ISP Directive ENF-051 was previously titled Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) / Law Enforcement Archival Retrieval Network (LEARN), and is now listed as ENF-051 Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR).  SRV-017 Resiliency Support System and ENF-051 Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) will be utilized for the job knowledge examination.  
 
All selected Compiled Statutes, Shift Briefings, and Law Bulletins are available to download here: Download materials
 
Username: four-digit ISP Star ID #
Password: year, month, date of birth (yyyymmdd)
 

TEST DECLARATION 

 

To be eligible to participate in the 2026 Promotional Process, all candidates must complete the online Test Declaration form by required deadline.
 
It is no longer a requirement to participate in the SPEAR P3 ratings process to be eligible to participate in the Promotional Testing Process. 

The 2026 Test Declaration form will be available from 8:30 AM on May 1, 2026, until 4:00 PM CST on May 31, 2026.  
 
If you do not complete the Test Declaration Form by the deadline you will NOT be eligible to participate in the 2026 Promotional Process, therefore, your candidacy will not be considered for the 2026 or 2027 Promotional Certification Lists.  No exceptions will be made. 

 

2026 Test Declaration Announcement

 

Questions regarding the Promotional Process should be e-mailed to: promotions@ispmeritboard.org.

STUDY GUIDE

 
The 2026 Study Guide will be published on July 1, 2026.
 
The study guide provides candidates with an overview of the written exam process and other helpful information.
 
The 2026 Study Guide will be available at: 

Promotional Process Log-In

username: 4-digit Star ID Number (####)
password: year, month, and date of birth (yyyymmdd)

 

E-mail promotions@ispmeritboard.org with any issues with log-in credentials. 

ORIENTATION

 

The 2026 Candidate Orientation will be published on June 15 and will be available to candidates until 3:00 PM on July 10, 2026. 

The 2026 Orientation information is available at: 

Promotional Process Log-In

username: 4-digit Star ID Number (####)
password: year, month, and date of birth (yyyymmdd)

 

E-mail promotions@ispmeritboard.org with any issues with log-in credentials. 

POST-TEST REVIEW 

 

The Illinois State Police Merit Board will offer candidates who participate in the 2026 Job Knowledge Exam the opportunity to participate in a Post-Test Review.  

2026 Post Test Review:
Tuesday, September 29, at 8:30 AM, until Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 4:00 PM.

 

The 2026 Post Test Review Form will be available here: POST TEST REVIEW
Username: four-digit ISP Star ID#
Password: year, month, date of birth (yyyymmdd)

 

E-mail promotions@ispmeritboard.org with any issues with log-in credentials. 

REMOTE TESTING 

 

Candidates are required to take the Promotional Examination at the designated sites and times determined by the State Police Merit Board except for two deviations: military leave or department authorized training. 

 
If you qualify for either of these deviations, you may apply for Remote Testing by completing a Remote Testing Request Form. The form is available for download at the link below.  The form must be submitted prior to any test administration in order to be considered for remote testing and for proper arrangements to be made.  
 
Please fully complete, sign and date the form and e-mail it to promotions@ispmeritboard.org. All requests will be reviewed and each candidate will receive a decision in writing.