Cook County Sheriff's Office
Encyclopedia
The Cook County Sheriff's Office is a local law enforcement agency
that serves Cook County
, Illinois
. It is the second largest Sheriff
's department in the United States
, with over 6,900 members. It is headed by the Sheriff of Cook County
, currently Thomas Dart
. Due to its size the Cook County Sheriff's Office divides its operations by task into 8 departments, the most recognizable of which is the Cook County Sheriff's Court Services Department. The much smaller Cook County Sheriff's Police Department
provides traditional police services in unincorporated Cook County, while the Department of Corrections
staffs the Cook County Department of Corrections.
All Cook County Sheriff's Police Officers
are Cook County Sheriff's deputies, but not all Cook County Sheriff's deputies are Sheriff's Police Officers. Police Officer is a job function and title within the Cook County Sheriff's Police Department. All Cook County Sheriff's Deputies have police power
s regardless of their particular job function or title. Like other sheriffs' departments in Illinois, the Sheriff's Police can provide all traditional law-enforcement functions, including county-wide patrol and investigations, irrespective of municipal boundaries, even in the city of Chicago, but has traditionally limited its police patrol functions to unincorporated areas of the county because unincorporated areas are the primary jurisdiction of a Sheriff's Department in Illinois.
The Sheriff's Police patrol services are often not required in incorporated cities because the cities such as Chicago have established their own police departments. The 500-600 member Sheriff's Police Department would not have the personnel necessary to supply full police services to all incorporated areas in Cook County, especially in a municipality such as Chicago.
Sheriff's deputies outside of the Sheriff's Police provide the other services of the sheriff, such as service of process, effecting evictions, guarding the various courthouses in Cook County, running and guarding the 9,800-detainee Cook County Jail, transporting prisoners and overseeing other offender rehabilitation programs.
The county has additional police who are not employed by the Sheriff of Cook County and who are thus not deputy sheriffs. These include the Cook County Forest Preserve District Police and Cook County Hospital Police.
Law enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
that serves Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. It is the second largest Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
's department in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, with over 6,900 members. It is headed by the Sheriff of Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
, currently Thomas Dart
Tom Dart
Thomas J. "Tom" Dart is the current Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois. His department is the second largest in the United States after the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.-Career:...
. Due to its size the Cook County Sheriff's Office divides its operations by task into 8 departments, the most recognizable of which is the Cook County Sheriff's Court Services Department. The much smaller Cook County Sheriff's Police Department
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
provides traditional police services in unincorporated Cook County, while the Department of Corrections
Department of Corrections
A Department of Corrections is a governmental agency responsible for overseeing the incarceration of persons convicted of crimes within a particular jurisdiction. Entities serving that purpose include:* Department of Corrections...
staffs the Cook County Department of Corrections.
All Cook County Sheriff's Police Officers
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
are Cook County Sheriff's deputies, but not all Cook County Sheriff's deputies are Sheriff's Police Officers. Police Officer is a job function and title within the Cook County Sheriff's Police Department. All Cook County Sheriff's Deputies have police power
Police power
In United States constitutional law, police power is the capacity of the states to regulate behavior and enforce order within their territory for the betterment of the general welfare, morals, health, and safety of their inhabitants...
s regardless of their particular job function or title. Like other sheriffs' departments in Illinois, the Sheriff's Police can provide all traditional law-enforcement functions, including county-wide patrol and investigations, irrespective of municipal boundaries, even in the city of Chicago, but has traditionally limited its police patrol functions to unincorporated areas of the county because unincorporated areas are the primary jurisdiction of a Sheriff's Department in Illinois.
The Sheriff's Police patrol services are often not required in incorporated cities because the cities such as Chicago have established their own police departments. The 500-600 member Sheriff's Police Department would not have the personnel necessary to supply full police services to all incorporated areas in Cook County, especially in a municipality such as Chicago.
Sheriff's deputies outside of the Sheriff's Police provide the other services of the sheriff, such as service of process, effecting evictions, guarding the various courthouses in Cook County, running and guarding the 9,800-detainee Cook County Jail, transporting prisoners and overseeing other offender rehabilitation programs.
The county has additional police who are not employed by the Sheriff of Cook County and who are thus not deputy sheriffs. These include the Cook County Forest Preserve District Police and Cook County Hospital Police.
Sheriff's Office Departments
The Cook County Sheriff's Office is divided into eight departments.- The Cook County Sheriff's Boot Camp is designed to provide non-violent offenders a strict detention program based on military discipline, fundamental vocational skills, education and alcohol/substance abuse treatment. In addition, the Boot Camp features an 8-month long post-detention supervision program where participants must return to the Boot Camp on a daily basis to continue educational programming.
- The Department of Corrections is one of the largest single-site pre-trial holding facilities in the country. Sheriff's Correctional Officers are responsible for the security of more than 9,000 detainees, most of whom are awaiting trial in the criminal court system.
- The Court Services Department provides security for all courtrooms and aides judges and other court officials in the orderly operation of daily business. In addition to providing courtroom security, deputy sheriffs operate metal detectors at the entrance of each of the courthouse facilities where many arrests are made every year of individuals attempting to bring weapons and contraband into said facilities.
- The Department of Community Supervision and Intervention draws its population from the DOC and from the court system. Each of DCSI’s divisions is unique in its operations, but together they form a cooperative and mutually supportive team that offers a sliding scale of corrections alternatives from community service to incarceration.
- The Sheriff's Police Department is charged with patrolling unincorporated areas of Cook County. Approximately 109,000 people live in unincorporated communities. Sheriff's Police also assist suburban police departments in routine police operations as well as drug, Bomb Squad, vice, and gang crimes operations.
- The Department of Women's Justice Services is a newly created department within the Cook County Sheriff's Office which administers gender responsive drug treatment programs for female offenders.
- The Jail Diversion and Crime Prevention Division was designed to make the Cook County Sheriff’s Office more useful and accessible to residents.
- The Office Of Professional Review investigates allegations of various types of misconduct throughout the Sheriff's Office.
Rank structure and insignia
Rank insignia for Lieutenant and up are metal pins worn on the collars of the shirt and the shoulders of the jacket. Rank insignia for Sergeant are metal pins worn on the collars of the shirt and embroidered chevrons worn on the upper sleeves. Tenured officers will have gold hash-marks on the lower left side of their long-sleeved shirts. Each mark represents five years of service. All officers assigned to the Department of Corrections are also Deputy Sheriffs.| Title | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Executive Director | |
| 1st Assistant Executive Director | |
| Assistant Executive Director of Security | |
| Assistant Executive Director of Operations | |
| Assistant Executive Director of Program Services | |
| Assistant Executive Director of Policy | |
| Assistant Executive Director of Records | |
| Assistant Divisional Superintendent | |
| Correctional Commander |  |
| Correctional Lieutenant |  |
| Correctional Sergeant |  |
| Correctional Officer |
Rank structure and insignia
Rank insignia for Lieutenant and up are metal pins worn on the collars of the shirt and the shoulders of the jacket. Rank insignia for Sergeant are metal pins worn on the collars of the shirt and embroidered chevrons worn on the upper sleeves. Tenured officers will have gold hash-marks on the lower left side of their long-sleeved shirts. Each mark represents five years of service.| Title | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Chief Deputy | |
| Assistant Chief Deputy | |
| Deputy Sheriff Lieutenant | |
| Deputy Sheriff Sergeant | |
| Investigator II (DCSI) | |
| Deputy Sheriff |
Rank structure and insignia
Rank insignia for Lieutenant and up are metal pins worn on the collars of the shirt and the shoulders of the jacket. Rank insignia for Sergeant are metal pins worn on the collars of the shirt and embroidered chevrons worn on the upper sleeves. Tenured officers will have gold hash-marks on the lower left side of their long-sleeved shirts. Each mark represents five years of service.| Title | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Chief Of Police | |
| Commander | |
| County Police Lieutenant | |
| County Police Sergeant | |
| County Police Officer |
Office of Professional Review
| Title |
|---|
| Executive Director |
| Assistant Executive Director |
| Unit Director |
| Assistant Unit Director |
| Senior Investigator |
| Investigator |
Fallen officers
Since the establishment of the Cook County Sheriff Office 12 officers have died in the line of duty.| Officer | Date of Death | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Deputy Sheriff Frank E. Nye | |
Gunfire |
| Policeman Sam F. Kaiser | |
Motorcycle accident |
| Policeman Frederick C. Bryant | |
Motorcycle accident |
| Policeman Meyer Joseph (Jack) Lapine | |
Motorcycle accident |
| Policeman Robert (Ruby) Schanbaum | |
Vehicular assault |
| Policeman Frank J. Christian | |
Vehicular assault |
| Deputy Sheriff Joseph Law Sr. | |
Gunfire |
| Investigator John A. Rusnak | |
Automobile accident |
| Investigator Michael W. Ridges | |
Gunfire |
| Correctional Officer Jeffery Blakey | |
Assault |
| Deputy Sheriff Alfred Brown Jr. | |
Assault |
| Patrol Officer James F. Knapp | |
Automobile accident |