SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WMBD) — The Illinois State Police (ISP) has made a historic move with the promotion of Rebecca Hooks from Lieutenant Colonel to First Deputy Director.
First Deputy Director Hooks is the first female to hold this position since the inception of the ISP in 1922. Hooks is second in command to Director Brendan F. Kelly.
“First Deputy Director Hooks is an outstanding example of the kind of grit, intelligence, and
integrity found within to ISP,” said Director Kelly. “With First Deputy Director Hooks, the ISP
will continue to move sharply forward into our second century!”
Hooks has served with ISP for over 20 years, beginning in 2002 as part of Cadet Class 105. She patrolled in the Chicago area for four years to begin her career. She has served in various roles with ISP, including over ten years in Crime Scene Services Command, part of that time being the rank of Captain.
She was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel as Assistant Deputy Director of the Division of Forensic Services in 2021. In doing so, Hooks represented the Division in ISP’s Chicago Anti-Violence Unified Command where the ISP said she has been instrumental in implementing the Laboratory Information Management System.
“I have had such great opportunities with ISP to pursue my passion of serving the community
through police work and science and I am honored to step into this new role,” said First Deputy
Director Hooks.
Hooks is also an instructor at the ISP Academy and the ISP division of Criminal Investigation New Agent School (NAS) in Springfield.
Some awards Hooks has received in her time with ISP are two Department United Citations, a Certificate of Recognition for work associated with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, and the Violent Crime Expressway Ribbon.
The Eastern Illinois University graduate was a Forensic Pathologist Assistant prior to joining the ranks of ISP and through 2014. At EIU, she studied zoology and chemistry.
Hooks is a certified Bloodstain Pattern Analyst and Crime Scene Investigator through the International Association for Identification. She has also taught bloodstain pattern analysis courses to law enforcement across the state and the country as well as to international police in Tbilisi and Batumi in the country of Georgia through ISP’s partnership with the U.S. Department of State. She has also been a bloodstain pattern analysis expert in several trials.
