The Illinois State Police zones have been realigned in south central Illinois. The State Police’s division of criminal investigation revealed plans to realign their coverage zones late last week in order to add a zone to better provide coverage to citizens. The added zone will provide extra coverage in the Metro East. This follows the Governor’s executive order signed last year reestablishing the DCI.
ISP Director Brendan Kelly said in a press release that it will help the state police collaborate and maintain relationships at the local level. Under the previous DCI plan, DCI Zone 7 was comprised of 33 counties and over 13,000 square miles, making it geographically the largest zone in the state. In addition, DCI Zone 6 in Collinsville historically handled the most homicides of any zone in the state, primarily in Madison and St. Clair Counties. The realignment and expansion will allow for the continuation of investigative support of Metro East homicide cases by reducing the number of counties and the geographic area covered by the zone.
The new realignment will remove Bond and Clinton county from Zone 6 and split Zone 7 in two. It will also create the new Zone 8 which will cover 18 counties in southeast Illinois. DCI Zone 6 will now be Calhoun, Jersey, Green, Macoupin, Montgomery, Madison, St. Clair and Monroe Counties; with headquarters remaining in Collinsville.
DCI Zone 7 will cover Randolph, Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Perry, Jackson, Williamson, Union, Johnson, Pope, Alexander, Pulaski, Massac and Hardin Counties; with headquarters remaining in DuQuoin.
The new DCI Zone 8 will cover Bond, Clinton, Marion, Fayette, Effingham, Cumberland, Clark, Jasper, Crawford, Clay, Richland, Lawrence, Wayne, Edwards, Wabash, Hamilton, White, Saline and Gallatin Counties. The Zone 8 headquarters will be based in Effingham with satellite offices in Centralia and Carmi.