In addition to providing direct law enforcement and public safety service to all citizens in unincorporated Jo Daviess County, the Sheriff’s Office also supplements and assists other law enforcement agencies in the County as needed. The Sheriff, the chief principal law enforcement officer of the County, is the only full-time elected County law enforcement official provided for by the Illinois Cons
titution. The Office of the Sheriff goes back in history to old-world Europeand was brought by early settlers to this country where it has evolved into an all encompassing law enforcement agency. The Sheriff’s Office works closely with and provides assistance to the social service agencies in the County: Riverview Center, DCFS and Jane Addams. Along with providing law enforcement service, the Sheriff maintains the Jo Daviess County Jail, which is located within the Public Safety Building and has a total capacity of 27 inmates. Also located within the Public Safety Building is the Emergency Enhanced 9-1-1 Communications Center. The Sheriff is responsible for all communication and dispatching of all fire, medical, and law enforcement services throughout the County. Along with general law enforcement, criminal investigations, public safety services, maintaining the County jail, and Emergency 911, the Sheriff also provides other services including, but not limited to, water patrol and rescue, mounted and radio patrols (auxiliary patrols), a search and rescue canine unit, a narcotic detection and criminal apprehension canine unit, vehicle investigations, emergency services and disaster agency services, and Hazardous Materials Response Unit. The Sheriff also maintains dockets, registers, jail records, fingerprints, and arrest files. The Sheriff’s deputies also attend all courts on record, and accept and receipt bail in accordance with the rules of the Circuit Court.
