Update on the age limitation discussion thread

[copchick11]

So, I've been asking around, talking to different officers, studying the state statute regarding this age limitation of 35 years old for the majority municipal police departments in Illinois. I thought I was disqualified because my experience as a police officer is PAST experience and not CURRENT experience, and it was part-time, to boot. But, according to a fire and police comissioner of a town near me, he says that as of January 1, 2008, the exception to the law states that if a person is over 35 years of age, and has been "previously employed" (that's the key words here) by a municipality, that person IS ELIGIBLE.

The exact wording of the exemption (to statute 65 ILCS 5/10-2.1-6):

"(d) The age limitation in subsection (a) does not apply (i) to any person previously employed as a policeman or fireman in a regularly constituted police or fire department of (I) any municipality, regardless of whether the municipality is located in Illinois or in another state,..." (the rest of the exemption applies to firefighters)

Nothing is stated that requires the applicant to be full time or to have served a certain number of years, or to have been separated for less than a certain amount of time, nada!!

SO, for those of you who fall in the same boat as me, we are still useful to a lot more departments than we thought!

[gundog]

Congratulations and best of luck to you.

[bankfraudguy]

I hope that holds true in practice. I thought I was done for all but a county position. I'll post what Darien tells me after they get my app.

[bankfraudguy]

FWIW, I just got off the phone with the Fire/police commission of Joliet regarding the age exception. I was informed that they are a home rule municipality, which supercedes the state law, and they can make the age cutoff whatever they want. And they want folks to be under 35 years at the time of appointment.

[ChiTownDet]

Home Rule municipalities can raise or lower the age as they see fit. They also can keep their lists for more than 2 years.

Copchick, you may have a chance with home rule towns and having the academy behind you. They may make an exception because they don't have to send you to school and your prior experience working on a town PD.

[copchick11]

hmmm....home rule, huh? I don't know much about home rule. Is that why Chicago is allowing applicants up to 40 yrs old? That's interesting. I have inquired with 2 other municipal departments on this exemption, and I've gotten the brush off with both of them. Even though they advertise this exemption, they don't seem to be very receptive to abiding by it. They could always pass me over and claim it was for some other reason, which is unfortunate because there is a lot to be gained with an older applicant.

I guess those of us in this boat will have to ask each department how they comply and if this home rule thing applies to them.

Thanks for the info folks!

[copchick11]

I just looked it up and there are 191 home rule municipalities (as of 5/07) in Illinois. Click below to see list:

http://www.iml.org/dbs/imllegal/dyncat.cfm?catid=77

[ChiTownDet]

Repost (again)

The age restrictions are mandated by Ill. Police and Fire Commission Rules (Chap. 65 Ilsc 5/10). These rules also go for length an eligibility list is active (2 yrs.). These effect the municipalities that are non home rule (under 5000 pop. or 5000-250,000 pop. that are not home rule muni's).

Although pension funds may adapt these same rules, there have been successful lawsuits by people who were denied employment because they were not accepted into the pension fund (medical problems), but were ordered hired , and not enrolled in the pension fund.

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I wouldn't ask the Departments about it, I'd inquire of their Police-Fire Commission or Board on the age exeption. They are the ones that put it in and it's their choice to have it or not, abide by it, or not. Don't think you are going to get an answer or explanation from someone on the desk answering the non-emerg. TX#.