My name is Keith Hawkins; I graduate from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville in the spring of 2027 with a bachelor’s in criminal justice, and I am from Saint Louis Missouri. My professional interests include a career in law enforcement, specifically investigations in the Metro East area.
Throughout my life I have always known that I wanted to work in the criminal justice system. My goal is to work in investigations for the Illinois State Police. Initially I thought I wanted to be a prosecutor or a public defender, but being an investigator was always a passion of mine. I chose the law side of criminal justice because I didn’t see myself being a traditional patrol officer, and that is what every investigator/detective is before they begin an investigative position. Upon completing an internship with the Illinois State Police, I knew that I wanted to have more involvement in criminal cases than just being an attorney. I now not only want to be an investigator, but I am looking forward to being on patrol and learning from that experience.
In my undergraduate studies, I am a part of the Community-Oriented Digital Engagement Scholars (CODES) program at SIUE. During my time in CODES, I conducted research on the city of Cahokia Heights and its long history of not only healthy water not being an easily accessible resource to community members, but also the cause of physical pain, financial strain, and emotional scarring. Participation in CODES furthered my interest in wanting to help people in need for a career.
Upon graduating college, I plan on enrolling in the Illinois State Police academy and eventually become a state trooper in the Troop 8 Collinsville division. Within 5 years of patrol, I hope to reach Special Agent/Detective status for Illinois State Police that specializes in investigating homicides and human trafficking.