The night before Rebecca Hooks started at the Illinois State Police Academy in 2002, she spoke on the phone with her father and her brother — both of whom worked in law enforcement. Her father encouraged her, telling her she was strong and could get through the boot camp-like experience. Her brother, in typical sibling fashion, offered encouragement by warning her against messing up and embarrassing him. More than 20 years later, Hooks was promoted to first deputy director of the Illinois State Police in 2023, becoming the …