Illinois is set to honor every State Police officer killed in the line of duty with new uniform memorial signs along its highways. The initiative, announced by state officials on Illinois Trooper Day, ensures all 73 fallen officers since 1922 are recognized, including Trooper Albert J. Hasson, the first to die in service. Spearheaded by the Illinois State Police, IDOT, the Illinois Tollway, and the Heritage Foundation, the standardized signs will remind millions of motorists daily of the sacrifices made for public safety. The project aims to honor legacies, support families, and highlight ongoing dedication within law enforcement.
“The lives and legacies of our fallen State Police Officers deserve to be honored for generations to come, and we will ensure that no sacrifice goes unrecognized,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Our State Police put their safety on the line to protect the People of Illinois, and that bravery and commitment will be memorialized along roadways across the state.”
“While the State has installed signs along Illinois highways in dedication of fallen ISP Officers over the years, we recognized there were not signs for every fallen ISP Officer, and to honor them, we are changing that,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “These Officers made the ultimate sacrifice for us all and these signs are one way to ensure that sacrifice is not forgotten.”
“For the millions of drivers on Illinois roads each day, these signs are a reminder that Troopers constantly put their lives on the line to keep the public protected and safe,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi. “We are honored to participate in this tribute and forever grateful for the contributions of the Illinois State Police.”
“Remembering those men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice is one of the most important endeavors we can undertake to honor their legacies and families,” said ISP Heritage Foundation Executive Director Jarod Ingebrigtsen. “I am thankful for the efforts of the Illinois General Assembly, Illinois State Police, Illinois Department of Transportation, and Illinois Tollway in moving this initiative forward. These signs will serve as a reminder to the citizens of this great state, as well as its visitors, of the sacrifice paid by these Officers as well as the daily efforts of our current and future law enforcement officers to keep our communities safe.”
| Trooper | EOW | Anticipated Sign Location | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tpr. Albert J. Hasson | September 7, 1924 | Old Route 66 north of Chenoa | McLean |
| Lory L. Price | January 17, 1927 | IL Route 13 east of IL Route 166 | Williamson |
| Paul E. Clendening | February 16, 1927 | I-59 and US 20 intersection | Cook |
| George E. Wheeler | November 22, 1927 | I-57 outside Kankakee | Kankakee |
| Robert L. Fisher | April 24, 1929 | IL 1 south of Hoopeston | Vermilion |
| Robert J. McDonald | July 10, 1930 | IL 159 north of I-270 | Madison |
| Robert J. Card | August 12, 1930 | IL 40 near I-88 south of Rock Falls | Whiteside |
| Frank M. Schwartz | September 11, 1930 | I-55 at US 52 | Will |
| Kenneth L. Church | December 5, 1931 | IL 2 at Palmyra Road Sterling | Whiteside |
| John Connors, Jr. | June 3, 1932 | US 51 and IL 16 | Christian |
| Grady L. Sutton | June 30, 1932 | IL 34 north of Dorris Heights Road | Saline |
| Richard Groja | May 28, 1933 | I-294 and US 14 | Cook |
| John L. McCabe | August 12, 1933 | I-294 and I-88 | Cook |
| Joseph Merritt Elliott | October 20, 1933 | IL 116 near Nofsinger | Woodford |
| Leo J. LaVelle | November 24, 1934 | I-80 and IL 84 | Rock Island |
| Ray Embree | October 15, 1936 | I-55 southbound milepost 186 | McLean |
| Frank Tamulis | August 9, 1937 | I-294 outside Oak Lawn | Cook |
| Albert Cecil Brokmyer | November 19, 1939 | US 45 outside Carrier Mills | Saline |
| Eugene Roberts | February 18, 1940 | IL 30 and IL 34 | Kendall |
| Rocco Gragido | September 11, 1940 | I-90 and W. 63rd | Cook |
| Ralph R. Newman | August 20, 1941 | IL 14 outside Buckner | Franklin |
| Robert R. Thomas | May 15, 1942 | I-270 near milepost 14 | Madison |
| Phillip B. Guinto | August 5, 1943 | US 12 and IL 134 | Lake |
| Charles J. Deans | August 8, 1944 | I-57 outside Benton | Franklin |
| Samuel Mangiamele | May 25, 1945 | US 41 | Cook |
| Marvin C. Archer | June 18, 1946 | IL 9 Paxton | Ford |
| Forrest F. Spencer | October 27, 1946 | IL 37 south of Olmsted | Pulaski |
| George L. Fredrickson | September 1, 1947 | IL 100 Scenic Drive Grafton | Jersey |
| Roy Kyle Moody | February 28, 1949 | I-55 and I-72 | Sangamon |
| Ben R. Seaton | October 14, 1949 | US 34 Wataga | Knox |
| Arthur Paul Goetting | February 4, 1951 | IL 57 and IL 162 | Madison |
| Corwin L. McConkey | March 8, 1951 | I-72 north of Cisco | Piatt |
| Millard R. Courtney | April 11, 1951 | Dixie Highway at 147th Street | Cook |
| Glenn D. Gagnon | December 28, 1952 | IL 50 north of Kankakee | Kankakee |
| Harry B. Bradley | October 24, 1957 | US 50 and IL 1 Lawrenceville | Lawrenceville |
| Leo S. Burakowski | September 24, 1958 | I-94 rear IL Tollway Buckley Plaza | Lake |
| Clarence U. Swain | August 1, 1959 | I-55 and I-72 | Sangamon |
| Michael T. Angelos | July 13, 1960 | IL 38 Lombard | DuPage |
| Dale A. Van Vooren | December 29, 1962 | US 6 outside Annawan | Henry/Bureau |
| Clarence M. Robinson | December 28, 1963 | IL 130 and US 50 | Richland |
| Frank A. Doris | May 27, 1967 | I-57 at milepost 157 | Clay |
| Warren L. Allen | September 21, 1967 | IL 17 at Riverwood Road | Kankakee |
| Floyd J. Farrar | December 17,1968 | IL 103 and US 24 | Schuyler |
| Richard G. Warner | April 21, 1969 | IL 53 ISP Headquarters Lockport | Will |
| Donald Blickensderfer | September 26, 1970 | US 36 south of Pierson | Piatt |
| Frank R. Dunbar | May 14, 1972 | IL 37 north of Benton | Franklin |
| Pete E. Lackey | November 27, 1972 | I-72 near New Berlin | Sangamon |
| Layton T. Davis | March 18, 1976 | I-57 south of 1700th Avenue | Effingham |
| George D. Craggs | November 10, 1976 | I-55 and US 136 Havana | Mason |
| Michael K. McCarter | April 7, 1979 | I-57 County Road 200 North | Ford |
| Bernard D. Skeeters | May 20, 1982 | I-55 Stuttle Road Overpass Litchfield | Montgomery |
| John H. Kugelman | November 10, 1986 | I-355 and I-290 | DuPage |
| Virgil L. Bensyl | January 15, 1988 | IL 105 north of Monticello | Piatt |
| Gary Degelman | May 4, 1989 | IL 67 at 1500 North Road, Macomb | McDonough |
| April C. Styburski | January 5, 1990 | US 20 near Pingree Grove | Kane |
| Robert L. Kolowski | February 25, 1993 | IL 47 in Yorkville | Kendall |
| Chong S. Lim | June 6, 1995 | I-90 and IL 59 Overpass | Cook |
| Anthony Millison | October 27, 1997 | I-57 & Thorton-Blue Island Overpass | Cook |
| Erin M. Hehl | October 30, 1997 | I-55 and IL 83 Overpass | DuPage |
| Stanley W. Talbot | June 23, 2001 | US 67 at IL 92 in Rock Island | Rock Island |
| Jeffrey Vlcek | July 13, 2003 | I-294 at Cicero Avenue | Cook |
| Rodney T. Miller | May 12, 2006 | I-72 Champaign County 500 East | Champaign |
| Brian McMillen | October 28, 2007 | I-72 and milepost 122 | Macon |
| Kyle Deatherage | November 26, 2012 | I-55 at milepost 62 Raymond | Montgomery |
| James Sauter | March 28, 2013 | I-294 and Willow Road Overpass | Cook |
| Ryan Albin | June 28, 2017 | I-74 DeWitt County Line | DeWitt |
| Christopher Lambert | January 12, 2019 | I-294 milepost 49 | Cook |
| Brooke Jones-Story | March 28, 2019 | US 20 & Springfield Road Overpass | Stephenson |
| Gerald Ellis | March 30, 2019 | I-94 and milepost 16 | Lake |
| Nicholas Hopkins | August 23, 2019 | IL 3 south of GG Road Waterloo | Monroe |
| Todd A. Hanneken | March 25, 2021 | IL 121 west of IL 128 | Moultrie |
| Corey S. Thompsen | October 18, 2024 | I-74 at County Road 1900 East | Champaign |
| Clay M. Carns | December 23, 2024 | I-55 and milepost 243 | Will |