Cook County Sheriff's Office staff described how county substations and outreach teams are being used to provide law enforcement presence and social supports, and the board approved an intergovernmental agreement related to youth detention placement.

Jason Hernandez, Executive Director of the Cook County Sheriff's Office, told commissioners the county operates substations and district offices in both city and suburban locations and that the office deploys “clinicians and case managers” to engage people experiencing homelessness, substance use and mental-health crises. “Anytime one of our clinicians or case managers has an opportunity to engage someone ... and provide direct linkage to support, is a success for us,” Hernandez said.

Commissioner Alma Naya asked where unarmed security staff under a multiyear contract are placed; Bill Keith Jacobsell, director of facilities management, responded that security staff are stationed at the Oak Forest campus — including Hawthorne Warehouse, Rockwell Warehouse — and the Juvenile Center garage, and that the county is renewing a contract through 2028 with a new vendor after a procurement process.

Commissioner Maggie Trevor and others pressed Hernandez for concrete outcome measures for community engagement work. Hernandez said the sheriff's office tracks “encounters” and offers to provide more detailed follow-up data through the board secretary: “I can get back to you with specifics on how that information is assessed,” he said; the board asked the office to supply that information to the secretary for distribution.

Board action: The board recorded approval for an intergovernmental agreement referenced during committee motions that places an out-of-county youth in the county juvenile detention center; the item was discussed during the chief judge/juvenile detention segment and staff explained the agreement followed a court order from Jersey County. The board adopted the package of items in that section, and staff confirmed the youth in that specific case had already left the county facility.

Why it matters: The description shows how the sheriff's office pairs law enforcement presence with clinical and case-management outreach. Commissioners asked for outcome data to evaluate effectiveness and for clarity about contract placements for security staff.

What’s next: The sheriff's office agreed to provide more detailed reporting on engagement outcomes to the secretary to the board. The county will continue to operate substations and the juvenile detention intergovernmental arrangements under existing guidelines.