Thomas J. Dart

Candidate Q&A

Why are you running?

I am running because I’m as passionate about this job as I was when I first started. There is still much more to accomplish. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office not only is responsible for public safety, but also one of the state’s largest mental health providers – a responsibility we see as critical to the safety and security of our community. As we confront seismic shifts in the public’s interaction and trust in government, our office must remain consistent in our values and approach.  I have seen the damage wrought when government walks away from hard problems. Inaction is not an option.

What skills or experience do you have that make you particularly suited to this position?

I have led one of the largest and most complex sheriff’s offices in the country. I came into this role when data and research were not words associated with the criminal justice system. I have transformed my office into an organization that leads through data-informed strategies.  My experience managing operations, budgets, labor negotiations, and public safety crises with transparency and accountability indicates my capacity to make reasonable decisions under pressure and follow through on them. 

During my terms as Sheriff, I have led us through many challenges that seem as though they are unmanageable. I stopped evictions during the 2008 housing crisis to ensure people had a place to live. I addressed the issue of people being exhumed and discarded at Burr Oak Cemetery. I helped take down the number one sex trafficking website on the internet. I managed one of the largest jails in the nation and the 3rd largest police department in Illinois during the COVID Pandemic. I have led our police department to be data driven to address carjacking, stolen automobiles, gun crimes, retail theft, cargo theft, and now we are embarking on the Northern Illinois Transit System. I have experience where it is needed and push myself and this office to be better every day and not become complacent. 

What does this office do well, and what needs fixing?

During my tenure, we’ve transformed the Cook County Sheriff’s Office into the national model for innovation in law enforcement. Through technology, intensive training and adherence to best practices, we have developed a highly adaptable workforce serving in the jail, the courts and on the street that is seen as the model around the country. This has allowed us to quickly focus on emergent issues including our new emphasis on confronting gun violence in Chicago and the suburbs. There is always room for improvement across the board. 

What is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how do you plan on addressing it?

Crime and feeling safe. While we have seen decreases in crime statistics, they are meaningless if people don’t feel safe. I will continue to go after violent criminals on the streets while also continuing to institute extensive programming at the jail. It is our moral obligation to introduce individuals in our custody to vocational and interpersonal training. We will continue expanding diversion programs and post-release connections to outside clinical and employment options so the jail is not their only exposure to mental health treatment.

I get up every day loving my job and knowing it is another day of opportunity to make a difference in this world. I work hard to ensure the citizens of Cook County see their Sheriff’s Office working for them. 

Is there a major policy initiative or financial issue you will look to tackle in the next year?

In 2025, the Illinois State Legislature assigned our office the task of drafting of a public safety plan for the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA), a newly created government body that combines CTA, METRA and Pace assets and operations into one mass transit system serving the entire metropolitan area. Though our work is set to commence in June of 2026, we have already begun the research; recruited new and existing personnel; coordinated with related agencies; and are compiling the elements of an initial draft. This is an incredibly complicated and sensitive endeavor as NITA is a complete reimagining of mass transit for decades to come. Safety on buses and trains has become a top public concern and our office stands ready to address the issue.

If you are elected, what would the end of a successful four-year term look like for you?

Over the past four years our office has had many successes.  There has been a sharp decline in carjackings, armed robberies and murders throughout our jurisdiction. But statistics alone cannot make people feel safe.  Success is not in numbers. Success would be having no victims of crime because there is no acceptable amount of crime. In today’s world social media and other outlets profit from stoking the public’s anxiety and perpetuating a mythical reality. We will continue to be honest with our community about both our challenges and triumphs. Success in addressing the appalling revolving door in our mental health system would be a lofty accomplishment I am shooting for. 

What specific steps would you take to ensure your office is accessible and responsive?

Our office has always prided itself on transparency and accessibility.  In 2025, our office responded to more than 600 inquiries from local, national and international media outlets. The Sheriff’s press office proactively produced 424 press releases, media alerts, statements and direct pitches.  In 2025, my office promptly responded to over 8,000 Freedom of Information Act requests.  On social media, the Sheriff’s office produced 2,723 posts garnering 2.7 million interactions and 44 million total impressions. 

We always pride ourselves on making sure the public has all the facts about circumstances involving our office. This builds credibility with the public and lets them know when we make a mistake, we own it. We also make sure the public has all the facts when it comes to false narratives spread on social media or other platforms. We have always been and will continue to be open and transparent.