65 ILCS 5/10-1-18.1 — Illinois Code / Chapter 65 / Act 5 / Section 10-1-18.1
Section 10-1-18.1
Status: in_force

(65 ILCS 5/10-1-18.1) (from Ch. 24, par. 10-1-18.1) Sec. 10-1-18.1. In any municipality of more than 500,000 population, no officer or employee of the police department in the classified civil service of the municipality whose appointment has become complete may be removed or discharged, or suspended for more than 30 days except for cause upon written charges and after an opportunity to be heard in his own defense by the Police Board. Before any such officer or employee may be interrogated or examined by or before any disciplinary board, or departmental agent or investigator, the results of which hearing, interrogation or examination may be the basis for filing charges seeking his removal or discharge, he must be advised in writing as to what specific improper or illegal act he is alleged to have committed; he must be advised in writing that his admissions made in the course of the hearing, interrogation or examination may be used as the basis for charges seeking his removal or discharge; and he must be advised in writing that he has the right to counsel of his own choosing present to advise him at any hearing, interrogation or examination; and a complete record of any hearing, interrogation or examination shall be made and a complete transcript thereof made available to such officer or employee without charge and without delay. Upon the filing of charges for which removal or discharge, or suspension of more than 30 days is recommended a hearing before the Police Board shall be held. If the charge is based upon an allegation of the use of unreasonable force by a police officer, the charge must be brought within 5 years after the commission of the act upon which the charge is based. The statute of limitations established in this Section 10-1-18.1 shall apply only to acts of unreasonable force occurring on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1992. The Police Board shall establish rules of procedure not inconsistent with this Section respecting notice of charges and the conduct of the hearings before the Police Board, or before any member thereof appointed by the Police Board to hear the charges. The Police Board, or any member thereof, is not bound by formal or technical rules of evidence, but hearsay evidence is inadmissible. The person against whom charges have been filed may appear before the Police Board or any member thereof, as the case may be, with counsel of his own choice and defend himself; shall have the right to be confronted by his accusers; may cross-examine any witness giving evidence against him; and may by counsel present witnesses and evidence in his own behalf. The Police Board or any member thereof designated by it, may administer oaths and secure by its subpoena both the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of relevant books and papers. All proceedings before the Police Board or member thereof shall be recorded. No continuance may be granted after a hearing has begun unless all parties to the hearing agree thereto. The findings and decision of the Police Board, when approved by the Board, shall be certified to the superintendent and shall forthwith be enforced by the superintendent. A majority of the members of the Police Board must concur in the entry of any disciplinary recommendation or action. Nothing in this Section limits the power of the superintendent to suspend a subordinate for a reasonable period, not exceeding 30 days. Commencing on January 1, 1993, each board or other entity responsible for determining whether or not to file a charge shall, no later than December 31 of each year, publish a status report on its investigations of allegations of unreasonable force. At a minimum, the status report shall include the following information: (1) the number of police officers against whom an allegation of unreasonable force was