Tom Dart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tom Dart
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Dart in 2017
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| Sheriff of Cook County | |
| Assumed office 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Michael F. Sheahan |
| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 28th district |
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| In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Robert Rita |
| Member of the Illinois Senate from the 14th district |
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| In office January 3, 1991 – January 3, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Jeremiah E. Joyce |
| Succeeded by | Emil Jones Jr. (redistricting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 22, 1962 Chicago, Illinois |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Patricia |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | Providence College (BA) Loyola University (JD) |
Thomas J. Dart (born May 22, 1962) is an American lawyer and politician. He is currently the Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois. A sheriff is a top law enforcement officer in a county. Before becoming sheriff, he was a member of the Illinois General Assembly, which is like the state's parliament.
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Education and Early Life
Tom Dart grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He went to Mount Carmel High School. After high school, he studied history at Providence College. He then earned a law degree from Loyola University Chicago. This education helped him prepare for a career in law and public service.
Career in Public Service
Tom Dart started his career working for a U.S. Senator. He also worked for the Illinois Senate's law committee. Later, he became a prosecutor in Cook County. This means he worked as a lawyer for the government.
Serving in the Illinois Government
In 1991, Tom Dart was chosen to be a member of the Illinois Senate. This is one part of the state's law-making body. He then served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 1993 to 2003. In these roles, he helped create laws for the state of Illinois.
After his time in the state legislature, he became a top assistant to the Cook County Sheriff. In 2002, he ran for Illinois State Treasurer but did not win.
Becoming Cook County Sheriff
In 2006, the previous Cook County Sheriff decided to retire. Tom Dart ran for the position and won. He became the Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois. He has been re-elected several times since then. As Sheriff, he leads a large law enforcement agency. They are responsible for keeping people safe and running the county jail.
Helping People with Foreclosures
In 2008, many people were losing their homes because of a big financial crisis. This was called the subprime mortgage crisis. Many families were being forced to leave their homes. Sheriff Dart noticed that many renters were being evicted even though they had paid their rent. Their landlords were the ones who had financial problems.
Sheriff Dart decided to stop these evictions in Cook County. He said that mortgage companies were not checking if the people living in the homes were actually the owners. He believed it was unfair to evict innocent renters. His actions made national news. Time magazine even named him one of the 100 Most Influential People in 2009.
Personal Life
Tom Dart lives in Chicago with his wife, Patricia. They have five children.
Images for kids
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Dart in 2017
