ILEAS Foundation

01/19/2024

For anyone interested in government finance should check out the ILEAS website at www.ileas.org,

We strive to meet the needs of law enforcement throughout the state of Illinois in matters of mutual aid, emergency response, and the combining of resources for public safety.

01/03/2024

ILEAS is looking for a new Finance Manager. This person will oversee five fulltime finance staff members. a great candidate will have government fiscal management experience with a focus on grant management. For details see this link - https://www.ileas.org/ileas-hire-new-finance-manager . If you are interested, do NOT respond on Facebook. Go to the ILEAS web page for more details.

12/08/2023

For many years ILEAS has been using grant funds to supply officer safety equipment to police in Illinois. Two years ago, ILEAS started distributing lightweight, easily deployable ballistic shields AND heavier, rifle-rated shields. Based on experienced SWAT professionals and bid packages, ILEAS chose the United Shield III+ paired with the United Shield MXV. Both have light packages added. ILEAS has already distributed 29 sets of shields (58 total) to regional tactical teams as well as individual law enforcement agencies.

ILEAS currently has 11 more sets (22 shields) ready to be deployed in pairs to applying agencies. ILEAS' plan is to continue to seek grant funding to keep providing these expensive shields which are essential pieces of safety equipment especially during active shooter situations.

Beginning December 4th, the online application was opened on the ILEAS website for agencies to apply. The application will be open thru December 22nd. Recipient agencies will be required to attend a Basic Ballistic Shield Instructor Course at the ILEAS Training Center.

10/19/2023

ILEAS received $3 million from the Illinois General Assembly to remodel the ILEAS Training Center. The bill sponsor was the late Senator Scott Bennett. The remodel plan includes the demolition of most of the walls in the B wing of the building. This will open it up into one large space for tactical and scenario training. ILEAS will use portable walls to create a virtually unlimited number of scenes for SWAT, Active Shooter, K9 and other training which requires physical skill exercises.

Additionally, the creation of a "laboratory" type classroom. Training events such as bomb robot maintenance, crime scene processing, armorers' classes, etc. that are often dirty or greasy need a large easily cleaned space instead of a carpeted traditional classroom.

Also, asbestos was removed from the entire facility as a part of this project. Additionally, we are expanding and resurfacing the crumbling parking lot.

Here are some "in progress" photos of the construction. We will keep everyone informed of how we are progressing.

08/23/2023

Reference the recent post about the Less Lethal Grant,,,,,,, ILEAS was awarded all $19 million for statewide less lethal equipment and training. It is the single biggest grant that ILEAS has ever been awarded! The grant will focus on distributing Tasers to local law enforcement in Illinois as well as alternative use of force training focusing on de-escalation, crisis intervention, etc. The funds must be expended and the goals achieved by June 30, 2024. ILEAS will be hiring at least three people to administer the grant and purchasing several thousand Tasers. For more information, please see https://www.ileas.org/icjia-designates-19-million-ileas-less-lethal-alternatives-law-enforcement-grant . If anyone is interested in any of the three positions, please monitor the ILEAS web page for future job postings.

ICJIA Designates $19 Million to ILEAS UPDATE August 17, 2023 On June 20, 2023, ILEAS applied for funding from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA). This state-funded grant, known as “Less Lethal Alternatives for Law Enforcement,” is focused on two areas. First, it will sup...

08/10/2023

ILEAS has applied for the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) Less Lethal Alternatives Grant. ILEAS applied for $12 million of the $19 million available. These funds were made available by the General Assembly through the SAFE-T Act.

If awarded, ILEAS will be setting up a sub-grant system to provide less lethal alternative equipment and training to local law enforcement agencies throughout the entire State of Illinois. The training will not only cover the use of the equipment, but alternative methods of avoiding the use force if possible - to include non- and de-escalation, CIT, etc. ICJIA is expected to announce the awardees later this month.

💡 Funding Opportunity Alert!

ICJIA has made $19M available for less lethal devices, training, alternatives, and admin expenses grants.
A lead entity agency will be selected to manage funds, monitor sub-grantees, and provide expertise. Help enhance public safety with innovative solutions.

Apply now!
🚔✨

https://icjia.illinois.gov/grants/funding/less-lethal-alternatives-for-law-enforcement-notice-of-funding-opportunity-nofo-3082-2509-2/

06/21/2023

01/24/2023

See Mike Rowe's post below. I learned of AmazonSmile from mikeroeWORKS several years ago. We signed the ILEAS Foundation up for AmazonSmile and have received over $2,000. While that is not a huge amount of money, a little bit of math shows that ILEAS supporters have purchased over $400,000 in product and listed ILEAS as their charity. the money that we received was truly appreciated - especially through the COVID pandemic. We truly appreciated the support! the program does not end until February, so there is still time. If there is something you want to buy from Amazon, please list is as your charity before they close the program.

Again, thank you for your support!

Jim Page

12/12/2022

ILEAS Director Jim Page's last day with ILEAS was December 9, 2022. Starting December 12th, he will be the Chair of the Illinois Terrorism Task Force. Last week se sent out the following message to the ILEAS membership:

"This is an email that I was not looking forward to sending. The word has been out for some time, but I need to make it official. The Governor’s Homeland Security Advisor, Alicia Tate-Nadeau, offered me the full-time job as Chair of the Illinois Terrorism Task Force and I have accepted. This means I will be resigning from ILEAS and turning the reins over to our current Chief of Staff, Larry Evans. Larry has been with ILEAS since its beginning as a Regional Board Chair, Governing Board member/secretary/president and Chief of Staff for 7 years. He knows ILEAS as well as anyone. I am sure that you will show him the same confidence and support that you all have shown me over these last 18 years.

It was a difficult decision for me because I love my ILEAS family. I am very proud of the 29 years I spent wearing a badge and carrying a gun with Urbana PD. My sworn career was overall pretty good. Like many of you, I was a patrol officer, sergeant, lieutenant, patrol/services/investigations division/SWAT commander and deputy chief. However, the 18 years with ILEAS have been the very best. I have gotten to work with the best that law enforcement has to offer in Illinois – “All-World Folks” as our Special Teams Manager Skip Frost likes to say. The sheriffs, chiefs, commanders, special team leaders, etc. have all been great!

I do want to take a moment to recognize the ILEAS staff. I have been blessed with the best staff, partners really, that any leader can possible hope for. They made ILEAS what it is today. The personal relationships that have been built in the LE and public safety community, the professionalism, the experience, the skill sets, integrity and enthusiasm have all worked together to make ILEAS the well-respected organization that it is. The work that the RPCs do in the field, the training we put on at the Training Center, the experts in communications and our unassailable finance work make us a VERY well-respected organization in not only the State of Illinois, but nationally.

I am not going far. Actually, my new office is going to be down the hall from my current digs. I will still be around for about a year or so as I work to get ITTF ready for the next decade of challenges. My last day with ILEAS will be December 11, 2022. The new contract is for one year as the ITTF Chair - a job I have been doing as the Acting Chair since May. At the end of that year, I will have put in 48 years in public safety. After that,,,,,, retirement.

Lastly, I appreciate all of you. Police executives in Illinois are currently weathering a lot change and stresses. However, keep in mind that law enforcement is still, and always has been, an honorable profession of which you can be proud! As always, if you ever need anything, do not hesitate to reach out to me or to ILEAS!

Respectfully,

James R Page"

11/15/2022

New Sheriff’s Conference, Springfield, IL.

08/10/2022

ILEAS awarded $450,000 in Safety and Emergency Equipment and Training to 35 Local Law Enforcement teams and agencies across the State. 117 agencies competed for the 20 sets of shields and 15 crisis negotiator "throw" phones. Pursuant to the ILEAS Motto of "Strength Through Cooperation," much of this equipment is being assigned to multi-jurisdictional regional tactical and negotiator teams. So the award to 35 teams will really aid over 150 agencies that participate and work together.

In order to receive the equipment, these teams must send representatives to the ILEAS Training Center to receive training on their use and operation. The first training session is for the ballistic shields during the week of August 22nd. The crisis negotiator phone training will most likely take place in October.