Division of Internal Investigation - Leadership

Col. Smith

  • Colonel Akil Smith
  • Deputy Director

Colonel Akil Smith, was appointed as Deputy Director of the Division of Internal Investigation in March 2021. Deputy Director Smith has more than 23 years of experience as a law enforcement officer, and his career began in 1997 with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department in St. Louis, Missouri.

In 2002, Deputy Director Smith joined the Illinois State Police (ISP) ranks as a member of Cadet Class 104 and, upon graduation, was assigned to District 6 Patrol. On July 1, 2008, he transferred to ISP Investigations Zone 5, General Criminal/Narcotics, and became a Special Agent.

On April 16, 2012, Deputy Director Smith was promoted to Sergeant. Deputy Director Smith was promoted to the rank of Master Sergeant on November 1, 2014, and designated as the Commander of ISP Drug Task Force 6. He was promoted to Lieutenant on April 1, 2017. As a Lieutenant, Deputy Director Smith served in various assignments throughout the Department; ISP Zone 4 South Investigations Operations Lieutenant, Division of Internal Investigation Operations Lieutenant, and interim ISP Academy (ISPA) Commander. Deputy Director Smith achieved Captain's rank with his January 1, 2019, promotion and was designated ISPA Commander. In March 2019, Deputy Director Smith received the appointment as the Assistant Deputy Director of the Division of Academy and Training.

Deputy Director Smith was born in Chicago, Illinois, where he graduated from Chicago Public Schools, Morgan Park High School. Deputy Director Smith is a 1996 graduate of Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois.

Lt. Col. Vega

  • Lieutenant Colonel Isaiah Vega
  • Assistant Deputy Director

Lieutenant Colonel Isaiah Vega currently serves as the Assistant Deputy Director for the Division of Internal Investigation. Prior to his appointment, Lieutenant Colonel Vega served as the Deputy Director for the Division of Justice Services (2019-2022), Assistant Deputy Director for the Division of Internal Investigation (2016-2019), and the Assistant Deputy Director for the Division of Administration (2015-2016). Lieutenant Colonel Vega joined the Illinois State Police in 1998 and began his career as a patrol officer in District Chicago. He has served in nearly every Division within the agency allowing him to gain a plethora of knowledge and experience in various administrative, investigative and enforcement positions. His assignments include: Patrol, Recruitment, Academy and In-Service Instructor, Class Coordinator, Intelligence Officer, Financial Crimes, Internal Investigations, Public Information Officer, Deputy Commander of the ISP 2012 Presidential Inauguration Security Detail, Protective Services Unit Commander, and Gaming Unit Commander. Lieutenant Colonel Vega is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy, with a minor in Political Science. He has participated in numerous leadership courses throughout his career and most recently completed the ILETSB Executive Institute’s Police Executive Role Command School (2019).

Captain Jose De Jesus

  • Captain Jose De Jesus
  • Northern DII Commander

Captain Jose De Jesus has over 16 years of experience and has served in several units within the Department. Lt. De Jesus’ experience includes: District Chicago Patrol, Division of Internal Investigation, Medicaid Fraud Investigations, Deputy Chief Public Information Officer, Operations Officer District 21 Patrol, Commander District 5 Patrol, and current Northern Commander for the Division of Internal Investigation. Significant and notable experience includes the response and coordination of resources during the 2020 mass protests and civil unrest events, Bank Robbery manhunt response, Officer Involved Shooting responses, and major weather-related event responses. Lt. De Jesus is also a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves.

Captain Pellman

  • Captain Zach Pellman
  • Southern DII Commander

Captain Zach Pellman has over 15 years of experience with the Illinois State Police. During his career, he served in several units within the Department. Captain Pellman’s experience includes: patrol assignments in District 7 and District 9, investigative assignments with Internal Investigation, Medicaid Fraud Control Bureau, and Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, and an administrative assignment with the Office of Labor Relations and Special Projects. During his assignment within the Division of Internal Investigation, Captain Pellman has served as a case agent, investigative squad leader, Field Training Agent Coordinator, Investigative Commander, and Southern Commander. He has worked and supervised every facet of the Division of Internal Investigation’s investigative responsibilities to include but not limited to: officer involved shooting investigations, death investigations, sexual assault investigations, and many other criminal and administrative matters. Captain Pellman is the recipient of numerous certificates of recognition and an Illinois State Police work unit citation for individual and team related efforts. Captain Pellman completed the ISP Basic Investigators Course, is a certified Illinois State Police instructor, completed the Northwestern University School of Police Supervision, General Command and Staff School, the University of South Florida’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Certificate Program, along with many other leadership courses.