DEPUTY SHERIFF-APPOINTMENT AGE

104th Regular Session Introduced by Dee Avelar and 40 co-sponsors

Lower Cook County deputy sheriff appointment age to 19 and extend probation to 15 months, broadening the applicant pool while delaying full powers until age 21.

Sent to the Governor

Purpose / Intent

SB 1700 (sponsored in the 2025 Illinois General Assembly) amends the Cook County provision of the Counties Code that governs appointment qualifications and probation for deputy sheriffs. The bill’s stated intent is to broaden the pool of eligible deputy sheriff appointees by lowering the minimum appointment age and to lengthen the probationary period for new appointees.

Key provisions

Amends 55 ILCS 5/3-7008 (Cook County — Sheriff’s Merit Board provisions).

Lowers the minimum age at appointment:

Current law: appointees must be at least 21 years old, or 20 if they have completed 2 years of law‑enforcement studies at an accredited college/university.
SB 1700: appointees must be not less than 19 years of age at the time of appointment (replacing the 21/20 standard).

Extends the probationary period:

Current law: appointees serve a 12‑month probationary period during which they may be discharged at the will of the Sheriff.
SB 1700: increases that probationary period to 15 months.

Retains other current eligibility and qualification rules, including:

U.S. citizenship or legal authorization to work and possess firearms (includes language referencing DACA beneficiaries who are federally authorized to possess firearms).
Maximum age limits set by the Board, good moral character, medical/mental/psychiatric testing, prescribed training/education/experience, and military preference provisions.
The limitation that individuals appointed after completing 2 years of law‑enforcement study do not have arrest powers and may not carry firearms until age 21 remains in the statute.

Who is affected

Prospective deputy sheriffs in Cook County — including deputy sheriffs in the Police Department, full‑time deputy sheriffs not employed as county police or county corrections officers, and employees in the Department of Corrections covered by this section.

County Sheriff’s Office hiring practices, training and supervision units, and the Sheriff’s Merit Board (which certifies qualifications).

Potentially impacts recruiting (younger applicants), training needs, supervision and liability considerations for under‑21 appointees.

Procedural / timeline notes

Filed in early 2025 (sponsored by Sen. Bill Cunningham).

Listed as referred to Assignments (per provided status). A companion bill is HB 2818.

No fiscal appropriation or effective date amendments are included in the text provided; implementation would follow standard bill-enactment rules if passed.

Potential implications (practical considerations)

Recruiting: opens eligibility to 19‑ and 20‑year‑old applicants, increasing the candidate pool (including those who may still be in or recently completed academy/college programs).

Operational: under‑21 appointees may be limited in duties (arrest/firearm restrictions) until age 21, requiring adjustments in duty assignments and supervision.

Accountability/retention: extending probation to 15 months lengthens the period for at‑will dismissal and formal evaluation before full employment protections attach.

Bill