Illinois State Police Face Lengthy Vehicle Replacement Timeline

Aging fleet and rising costs mean an 18-year replacement cycle, according to ISP director.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 12:05am

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More than 1,000 Illinois State Police vehicles have exceeded the recommended replacement age and mileage, but the agency's funding mechanism means it will take around 18 years to fully replace the aging fleet, according to ISP Director Brenden Kelly.

Why it matters

The aging fleet raises safety concerns, as officers are spending long hours in vehicles that are 8-10 years old with hundreds of thousands of miles. The problem is exacerbated by rising vehicle costs, which have more than doubled in the past decade.

The details

While lawmakers have appropriated $30 million annually for vehicle replacement since 2024, the actual revenue going into the State Police Vehicle Fund is only about a third of that amount. The fund's main revenue sources - a $1 license plate fee and proceeds from retired vehicle sales - have not kept pace with the rising costs of new police vehicles, which can now reach $120,000 each.

  • In fiscal year 2025, ISP had $30 million in spending authority but only spent about $7 million due to the fund's slower revenue pace.
  • Beginning this spring, 10% of an insurance underwriting fee will also be devoted to the vehicle fund, potentially increasing its balance by a few million dollars.

The players

Brenden Kelly

Director of the Illinois State Police.

Seth Lewis

Republican state senator and member of the Senate's public safety appropriations committee.

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What they’re saying

“At this rate with this funding mechanism we have, it will take about 18 years to replace our fleet.”

— Brenden Kelly, ISP Director

“We are spending close to $56 billion; if we could come up with 20, 30 million to keep our officers safe, I want to work on that.”

— Seth Lewis, State Senator

What’s next

Sen. Lewis said he is open to increasing the portion of vehicle registration fees that goes toward the State Police vehicle fund, which could provide more funding to accelerate the replacement timeline.

The takeaway

The aging Illinois State Police vehicle fleet and rising replacement costs have created a significant funding challenge, highlighting the need for a more sustainable solution to ensure officer safety and reliable emergency response capabilities across the state.