Peoria County Sheriff’s Office: Patrol Unit

The Patrol Division is the backbone of the Sheriff's Office. Newly Commissioned Deputies begin their law enforcement career in this Division, upon successfully completing the 480 hour Basic Law Enforcement Class at the University of Illinois' Police Training Institute.

Comprised of four shifts, thirty nine patrol Deputies and six Lieutenants are assigned to the street. Patrol is conducted in the unincorporated areas of Peoria County, and also within several municipalities that have established contracts for this service. This Division operates 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

The average Deputy Sheriff for Peoria County has 11 years 10 months and 23 days of service. The average Lieutenant has 21 years 10 months and 24 days of service, with 10 years 9 months and 18 days of service as a Lieutenant. Deputies assigned to the Patrol Division are collaterally assigned to PCERT (Peoria County Emergency Response Team) and the Drug Interdiction Team.

Deputies receive extensive continuing training, and many branch out into special skills which require intensive training. Deputies serve as State of Illinois certified Traffic Accident Reconstruction Specialists, Drug Recognition Experts, DARE Officers, and K-9 Deputies. Detectives and Crime Scene/Lab Deputies are selected from the ranks of the Patrol Deputies. For information on how to apply for employment as a Peoria County Deputy Sheriff, click here.