Centralia, IL -(Effingham Radio)- The Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) announces the reorganization of two investigative zones to better serve the public. This initiative will also create a new investigations office in Centralia, Illinois.
Prior to April 2020, Zone 7 Investigations was geographically the largest investigative Zone within the ISP DCI. It was comprised of 31 counties spread across 13,299 square miles with a population of over half a million people. The Zone 7 Commander was responsible for maintaining relationships with 135 local law enforcement agencies.
With the reorganization, Zone 7 will be split into Zone 7 North and Zone 7 South. Also, through the reorganization, two counties of Zone 6 Investigations, headquartered in Collinsville, will be added to Zone 7 North. This downsizing of Zone 6 will give investigators the opportunity to better focus their efforts on Metro East area investigations. Please find attached below, maps of the old and new boundaries for Zones 6, 7 North, and 7 South.
The goals of this reorganization are to allow the Zone Commanders an opportunity to establish a more consistent relationship with local law enforcement agencies; introduce a new investigative unit in Centralia, Illinois, an area previously underserved due to its geographical location on the border of three ISP districts and two investigative zones; and allow investigators to respond more effectively to their areas of assignment.
“The core mission of the Illinois State Police is to promote public safety to improve the quality of life in Illinois,” stated ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. He continued, “By locating a zone investigations office in Centralia, this will bolster the ISP’s ability to serve the people of the Metro East area and the Centralia area, expand our footprint in the greater law enforcement community which will allow us to better assist our local law enforcement partners, and strengthen our ability to push forward on the ISP goal of reducing crime and the fear of crime in Illinois.”
The reorganization of Zones 6 and 7 began taking shape March 16, 2020, with an effective date of April 1, pending the ratification of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Centralia City Board and the Illinois State Police for the usage of office space in the Centralia Police Department. This MOU was ratified by the city board the evening of April 15, 2020. The Centralia office of Zone 7 North will be one of three offices comprising Zone 7 North – Effingham – headquarters, Centralia – newly created, and Carmi – previously established. Zone 7 South will retain its headquarters in DuQuoin and an office in Ullin.
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