SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS (May 13, 2019) — The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) State Lodge commends Governor JB Pritzker on his appointment of Jerry Costello II to the position of Director of Law Enforcement for the Illinois Conservation Police.
“Gov Pritzker couldn't have made a better choice to lead the Department of Natural Resources' law enforcement team,” said FOP State Lodge President Chris Southwood. “Jerry Costello II has been a full time police officer, served his country as a combat veteran, and has championed law-enforcement, natural resources, and working families while in the Illinois General Assembly. The FOP welcomes Jerry as he leads one of the most elite and diversely talented law enforcement agencies in the nation.”
The Illinois Conservation Police, the law-enforcement arm of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, have a wide range of duties including public safety, wildlife resource protection, watercraft safety, homeland-security response, youth education, pollution detection and mitigation, and education. Conservation Police Officers have full police powers and often operate in remote areas under harsh conditions.
The Fraternal Order of Police, founded in 1915, is the largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. With a proud tradition of officers representing officers, the FOP is the most respected and most recognized police organization in the country. The Illinois FOP, chartered in 1963, is the second largest State Lodge, proudly representing more than 34,000 active duty and retired police officers — more than 10 percent of all FOP members nationwide. Visit www.ilfop.org for more information.
