JOLIET – The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) State Lodge is hosting a recruitment fair for prospective law enforcement and corrections officers on Wednesday, October 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the main campus of Joliet Junior College, 1215 Houbolt Road in Joliet.
Numerous local, county, state, federal and college law enforcement and criminal justice agencies will be available to speak to anyone who is interested in a career in law enforcement. The recruitment fair is free and open to the public.
“Departments nationwide are experiencing staffing shortages and are having trouble finding enough potential employees, so now is the time to seek a career in law enforcement,” said Illinois FOP State Lodge President Chris Southwood. “You can make a difference in the lives of your fellow citizens and receive good pay and benefits at the same time. It’s a challenging but rewarding career.”
The October 11 recruitment fair is geared toward anyone who is interested in becoming a law enforcement, corrections, emergency telecommunications, parole or probation officer. The recruitment fair was originally scheduled for the same date at the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy at the College of DuPage, but had to be moved when College of DuPage officials unilaterally canceled the event.
“We are frustrated and disappointed that College of DuPage officials forced us with just two weeks to go to find another venue for this vital event. The issue, according to the college, is a so-called ‘investigation’ into a request to remove a portion of a memorial at the school to Bloomingdale Police Officer Raymond Murrell, who was killed in the line of duty in 2017,” Southwood said. “That memorial, located in the part of the school where future law enforcement officers are trained, has been there for years. Why is the memory of a fallen officer suddenly an issue, and why did the college feel it necessary to cancel a long-planned recruitment event over it? While we seek answers, we have moved our recruitment event to a school that values the sacrifices made by the men and women who choose law enforcement as a career.”
The Fraternal Order of Police, founded in 1915, is the largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. With a proud tradition of officers representing officers, the FOP is the most respected and most recognized police organization in the country. The Illinois FOP, chartered in 1963, is the second largest State Lodge, proudly representing more than 34,000 active duty and retired police officers – more than 10 percent of all FOP members nationwide. Visit www.ilfop.org for more information.