Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart

Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart

A law enforcement ‘agency to be proud of’

Spread the love

Cook County Sheriff’s Office celebrates a century of growth

From staff reports

April marks the centennial celebration of the creation the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department, an agency that has grown from patrolling Cook County with 32 sworn officers to a dynamic operation of nearly 500 officers devoted to promoting public safety, social services, and mental health.

In December 1921, Cook County Sheriff Charles W. Peters proposed the Sheriff’s Office create a police force responsible for patrolling the roadways and other areas of suburban Cook County.

Dart Photo From Twitter Page 25KB

Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart

In early January 1922, the hiring of 70 highway police deputies was approved by Cook County, and on April 1, 1922, the first 32 Cook County Highway Patrol Officers were officially sworn in. These officers were required to patrol on their own motorcycles and were paid $125 per month, along with a small stipend for the upkeep of their vehicle.

Several police stations were strategically opened throughout the county. The first station, known as Station 1, was at Waukegan Road and Dempster Street until a permanent building was completed in 1924 in Maine Township. Other locations were proposed, with one near 147th Street and Western Avenue, and another in Palos Park.

Eventually, the Highway Patrol deputies were reorganized into a Sheriff’s Police force, and their responsibilities continued to grow throughout the 1940s and 1950s, corresponding with post-war suburban population growth.

In the early 1960s, Sheriff Richard Ogilvie worked with state legislators to create a Merit Board to test police applicants and review credentials for police officer positions. The name “Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department” was adopted, and the colors of tan and brown were introduced for the new Sheriff’s Police uniform.

Today, the Sheriff’s Police Department is the third-largest police department in the State of Illinois. The Department is divided into five principal divisions: Field Operations, Criminal Investigations, Street Crimes, Communications Operations, and Operational Support.

“The Sheriff’s Police Department is a leader in protecting the health and safety of residents throughout the county and a trusted partner to numerous local police agencies,” said Sheriff Thomas J. Dart. “The fact that the organization that has grown from a small number of people patrolling county roads a century ago to become the multi-faceted and nationally recognized agency it is today is an achievement every Cook County resident can take pride in.”

Sheriff’s Police currently provide primary police services to more than 126,000 residents in unincorporated Cook County as well the Village of Ford Heights. The Department also provides backup services to several suburbs that have significant budgetary constraints, as well as ancillary services to scores of suburbs, including a K9 unit to help locate missing individuals, crime scene technician services to help solve crimes, and the Community Safety Team, which provides proactive policing in areas of high violence.

Sheriff’s Police have been on the cutting edge of law enforcement, implementing programs that include:

• Treatment Response Team (TRT): This initiative was developed in 2019 to integrate clinicians and social workers with the police department to prevent the involvement of individuals in the criminal justice system who are suffering from opioid addiction. The clinicians work closely with individuals to help them engage in treatment.

• Co-Responder Program: Sheriff’s Police launched a virtual co-responder program in 2021 that provides officers the assistance of a trained clinician during mental health related calls for service. The team of clinicians work with the individual and their support network to identify and navigate appropriate treatment options. The program is currently being used by other suburbs, including Oak Lawn, Blue Island, and Northbrook.

• Hostage Barricade Team (HBT): This team is trained to respond to hostage and terrorism incidents. These specialists and SWAT officers work to resolve hostage or barricade situations without injury to civilians, victims, police, or offenders.

• Juvenile Justice & Advocacy Unit (JJAU): This unit is tasked with advocating for children who fall between society’s cracks. It is comprised of officers who have received special training on how to engage young people. It also participates in several Sheriff’s Office outreach programs and coordinates scholarships for Cook County students.

• Carjacking Initiative: Developed in 2021, this unit combines detailed data analyses with partnerships with automobile manufacturers and other law enforcement agencies to rapidly recover stolen vehicles before they can be used in other crimes.

• Chicago Initiative: Sheriff’s Police set up a permanent presence in the 15th District on Chicago’s West Side in 2018 to work alongside Chicago Police to address violence. The effort has included community policing, bike patrols, foot patrols, and deep engagement with local organizations. The initiative has contributed to a decrease in shootings and homicides. Sheriff’s Police also assist Chicago Police in numerous other areas of the city.

“I am honored to have this centennial celebration happen under my watch.” Sheriff Dart said. “As a department, we are all looking forward to continuing to serve and advocate for Cook County residents with integrity, compassion, professionalism, diversity, and transparency.”

Local News

Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.

Neighbors

Appeals court skeptical of Mike Bost’s case to stop ballot counts after Election Day

Appeals court skeptical of Mike Bost’s case to stop ballot counts after Election Day

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A panel of federal appellate judges on Thursday seemed skeptical of legal arguments made on behalf of Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, who claims Illinois’ law allowing counting of mail-in ballots for two weeks after an election is in violation of federal law. Bost’s late 2022…

DCFS hires on-the-spot at hiring events

DCFS hires on-the-spot at hiring events

By BETH HUNDSDORFER  Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com Cyrenthia Threat spent Wednesday morning at a hiring event in Fairview Heights waiting for word on whether she was hired by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.  Threat wants to move to Illinois from Georgia where she works as a social worker. She has 20 years…

Capitol Briefs: Advocates push for guaranteed income, child care assistance

Capitol Briefs: Advocates push for guaranteed income, child care assistance

By HANNAH MEISEL & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear the case of actor Jussie Smollett, who was convicted for staging a hate crime against him in 2019 in a case that drew criticism for Cook County’s top prosecutor. Smollett made what turned out to be…

Illinois teacher shortage persists, survey finds

Illinois teacher shortage persists, survey finds

By PETER HANCOCK  Capitol News Illinois  phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com  SPRINGFIELD – Illinois continues to suffer from a shortage of teachers and other education professionals, although recent efforts by the state to ease the strain have made an impact.  That’s according to the latest annual survey of school officials from the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools,…

Bills in state Senate would further regulate battery storage and disposal

Bills in state Senate would further regulate battery storage and disposal

COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Two bills that would regulate battery disposal and storage are awaiting action from the full Illinois Senate after unanimous committee approval.   Senate Bill 3481, sponsored by Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, would require facilities that store electric vehicle batteries to register with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency…

Prisoner Review Board chair, member resign in wake of boy’s fatal stabbing by released inmate

Prisoner Review Board chair, member resign in wake of boy’s fatal stabbing by released inmate

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com The longtime chair and a relatively new member of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board have resigned, Gov. JB Pritzker’s office announced Monday. The governor’s office announced the pair’s resignations within hours of each other nearly two weeks after Crosetti Brand was released from Stateville Correctional Center. Brand is…

Highest-ranking woman in state police history reflects on experience as force looks to diversify

Highest-ranking woman in state police history reflects on experience as force looks to diversify

By ALEX ABBEDUTO   Capitol News Illinois  abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com  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…

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

 By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

 By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

 By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…