Hon. Thomas Dart

Hon. Thomas Dart

As Cook County Sheriff, Tom Dart has brought an aggressive, yet innovative approach to law enforcement. A former prosecutor and state legislator, Sheriff Dart has long fought for the rights of others and protecting the most vulnerable members of our society. Since becoming Sheriff in 2006, he has introduced sweeping changes at the Cook County Jail – the nation’s largest single site jail –, aggressively re-structured the Sheriff’s Police force, and improved operations of the Court Services Department. At the Cook County Department of Corrections, the Sheriff oversees a population of over 12,000 that includes inmates both housed on-site and ordered to alternative programs. From addressing concerns surrounding general overcrowding and a growing mental health population to developing environmentally sustainable initiatives for inmates, Sheriff Dart relentlessly takes whatever steps necessary to improve and maintain the safety and security of all those housed and employed at the Cook County Jail. In 2009, Time magazine named Sheriff Dart one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World, thanks to his groundbreaking efforts. He and his wife Patricia live on Chicago’s South Side and are the proud parents of 5 young children.