Cook County Sheriff’s Police Celebrate 100 Years of Service
Cook County Sheriff’s Police Celebrate 100 Years of Service
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.
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.”
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.
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.”
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