January 2023 - Present

Appropriations-Public Safety; Ethics & Elections; Health Care Licenses; Judiciary - Criminal; Mental Health & Addiction; Police & Fire Committee; Criminal Administration and Enforce; Firearms and Firearm Safety; Fire Subcommittee; Police Subcommittee.

Dennis Tipsword (R-Metamora) was born and raised in Woodford County, IL where he attended Metamora High School. Representative Tipsword is a citizen legislator with a 30-year public service career in law enforcement, serving for 17 years with the Woodford County Sheriff’s Office and the past nine years as its Chief Deputy, the second in command in the department. He remains an active duty officer while serving in the Statehouse and does not collect a pension from taxpaying constituents as their elected legislator of the 105th Illinois Legislative District. As a former small business owner in the construction and parking lot maintenance industry and seasonal restaurant owner with his wife Betsy, Representative Tipsword understands first-hand the challenges Illinois small business owners face every day. Attending Western Illinois University where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Law Enforcement Administration, Representative Tipsword also graduated from the University of Illinois Police Training Institute where he was awarded the Ervin H. Warren Award given to the one officer in each Basic Law Enforcement Class who best exemplifies today’s concept of tomorrow’s police officer. Rep. Tipsword also graduated from Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command. Representative Tipsword is a 13 year member of the Woodford County Republican Central Committee, a 15 year volunteer youth sports coach and a longstanding member of the Sons of the American Legion, Spring Bay Post where he volunteers to strengthen the four pillars of the American Legion by placing special emphasis on preserving American traditions and values, improving the quality of life for our nation’s children, caring for veterans and their families, and teaching the fundamentals of good citizenship. Dennis and Betsy, his wife of almost 30 years reside in Metamora, IL along with their growing family of three children and six grandchildren. Representative Dennis Tipsword was elected to the House of Representatives in 2022 where he was appointed by House Republican Leader Tony McCombie to serve on the newly formed Truth in Public Safety Working Group and on the following 103rd General Assembly House Committees: • Ethics & Elections • Health Care Licenses • Judicial/Criminal • Mental Health • Police & Fire • Public Safety *Representative Tipsword was nominated by former Senator Jason Barickman and selected to participate in the coveted leadership program established by former Governor Jim Edgar, graduating as a member of the Edgar Fellows Program Class of 2023.

Tom Bennett