Katie Prout
@katieprout.bsky.social
features writer, Chicago Reader: harm reduction, homelessness, and chicago/rust belt history.
proud member, Reader Union
[email protected]; signal katie.507
https://www.katieprout.com/
proud member, Reader Union
[email protected]; signal katie.507
https://www.katieprout.com/
Reposted by Katie Prout
Cliff won the James Beard Award for food journalism for this -- and he wasn't even a food journalist.
November 26, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Cliff won the James Beard Award for food journalism for this -- and he wasn't even a food journalist.
Reposted by Katie Prout
at least five ice agents in west humboldt park this morning at kildare and le moyne
November 26, 2025 at 2:16 AM
at least five ice agents in west humboldt park this morning at kildare and le moyne
Reposted by Katie Prout
all that and a lot more in my story. give it a read!
Cook County law enforcement agencies get more money in 2026
The Cook County Board of Commissioners approved large investments in policing and prosecutions, over objections from advocates.
chicagoreader.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:16 PM
all that and a lot more in my story. give it a read!
Reposted by Katie Prout
i asked the sao if the cuts to the felony review unit were related to the new "expedited felony review" policy. matt mcgrath, o'neill burke's communications director, never responded.
none of the 20+ (soon to be 30+) people in the sheriff's policy & comms office responded to my emails either 🤷
none of the 20+ (soon to be 30+) people in the sheriff's policy & comms office responded to my emails either 🤷
Cook County law enforcement agencies get more money in 2026
The Cook County Board of Commissioners approved large investments in policing and prosecutions, over objections from advocates.
chicagoreader.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:16 PM
i asked the sao if the cuts to the felony review unit were related to the new "expedited felony review" policy. matt mcgrath, o'neill burke's communications director, never responded.
none of the 20+ (soon to be 30+) people in the sheriff's policy & comms office responded to my emails either 🤷
none of the 20+ (soon to be 30+) people in the sheriff's policy & comms office responded to my emails either 🤷
Reposted by Katie Prout
while o'neill burke ramps up the number of prosecutors in the courtrooms, the number of staff in the felony review unit in 2026 will fall from 79 to 58.
that coincides with a decision to let chicago cops citywide file felony weapons possession charges without review from a prosecutor.
background:
that coincides with a decision to let chicago cops citywide file felony weapons possession charges without review from a prosecutor.
background:
New Chicago Prosecutor Empowers Police to File More Charges Without Review - Bolts
In the early evening on Feb. 19, two Chicago police officers arrested a 40-year-old man in the Englewood neighborhood. According to their report, the officers cited an odor of “raw... Read More
boltsmag.org
November 25, 2025 at 9:16 PM
while o'neill burke ramps up the number of prosecutors in the courtrooms, the number of staff in the felony review unit in 2026 will fall from 79 to 58.
that coincides with a decision to let chicago cops citywide file felony weapons possession charges without review from a prosecutor.
background:
that coincides with a decision to let chicago cops citywide file felony weapons possession charges without review from a prosecutor.
background:
Reposted by Katie Prout
state's attorney eileen o'neill burke plans to dramatically scale up the number of courtroom attorneys in 2026. roughly 250 staffers will be assigned to chicago's felony trial courts, up more than two-thirds from this year.
chicagoreader.com/news/politic...
chicagoreader.com/news/politic...
November 25, 2025 at 9:16 PM
state's attorney eileen o'neill burke plans to dramatically scale up the number of courtroom attorneys in 2026. roughly 250 staffers will be assigned to chicago's felony trial courts, up more than two-thirds from this year.
chicagoreader.com/news/politic...
chicagoreader.com/news/politic...
Reposted by Katie Prout
the cook county sheriff's and state's attorney's offices will look to hire dozens of analysts in 2026.
new ccso and sao departments are tasked with using data to streamline internal operations, generate "predictive" analytics, and even steer the strategy for prosecuting gun crimes.
background:
new ccso and sao departments are tasked with using data to streamline internal operations, generate "predictive" analytics, and even steer the strategy for prosecuting gun crimes.
background:
Cook County’s web of surveillance for electronic monitoring
Sheriff Tom Dart worked with the University of Chicago’s Steven Levitt to create a program that could “match” people on EM to reported crimes.
chicagoreader.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:16 PM
the cook county sheriff's and state's attorney's offices will look to hire dozens of analysts in 2026.
new ccso and sao departments are tasked with using data to streamline internal operations, generate "predictive" analytics, and even steer the strategy for prosecuting gun crimes.
background:
new ccso and sao departments are tasked with using data to streamline internal operations, generate "predictive" analytics, and even steer the strategy for prosecuting gun crimes.
background:
Reposted by Katie Prout
both the cook county sheriff's office and the state's attorney's office are set to receive massive investments in surveillance infrastructure.
the county set aside tens of millions in the 2026 budget for computers, servers, cloud storage, video forensics, and license plate readers.
the county set aside tens of millions in the 2026 budget for computers, servers, cloud storage, video forensics, and license plate readers.
Cook County law enforcement agencies get more money in 2026
The Cook County Board of Commissioners approved large investments in policing and prosecutions, over objections from advocates.
chicagoreader.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:16 PM
both the cook county sheriff's office and the state's attorney's office are set to receive massive investments in surveillance infrastructure.
the county set aside tens of millions in the 2026 budget for computers, servers, cloud storage, video forensics, and license plate readers.
the county set aside tens of millions in the 2026 budget for computers, servers, cloud storage, video forensics, and license plate readers.
Reposted by Katie Prout
next year, the sheriff's office plans to demolish division iv. (haven't seen this reported elsewhere.)
the shuttered dormitory had been slated for demolition in 2024. the project got pushed back while the county finished remediation from the demolition of divisions i and ia, which began in 2021.
the shuttered dormitory had been slated for demolition in 2024. the project got pushed back while the county finished remediation from the demolition of divisions i and ia, which began in 2021.
Cook County Jail Demolition: Five Fast Facts
In June, contractors demolished two dormitories at Cook County Jail, filling surrounding Little Village with airborne pollutants.
southsideweekly.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:16 PM
next year, the sheriff's office plans to demolish division iv. (haven't seen this reported elsewhere.)
the shuttered dormitory had been slated for demolition in 2024. the project got pushed back while the county finished remediation from the demolition of divisions i and ia, which began in 2021.
the shuttered dormitory had been slated for demolition in 2024. the project got pushed back while the county finished remediation from the demolition of divisions i and ia, which began in 2021.
Reposted by Katie Prout
almost half of the cook county sheriff's 2026 budget—$390 million—is allocated to the massive cook county jail.
next year, the sheriff is creating a 34-person canine unit in the jail. ongoing maintenance will total $862 million by 2035. a new health care facility is expect to cost $190 million.
next year, the sheriff is creating a 34-person canine unit in the jail. ongoing maintenance will total $862 million by 2035. a new health care facility is expect to cost $190 million.
Cook County law enforcement agencies get more money in 2026
The Cook County Board of Commissioners approved large investments in policing and prosecutions, over objections from advocates.
chicagoreader.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:16 PM
almost half of the cook county sheriff's 2026 budget—$390 million—is allocated to the massive cook county jail.
next year, the sheriff is creating a 34-person canine unit in the jail. ongoing maintenance will total $862 million by 2035. a new health care facility is expect to cost $190 million.
next year, the sheriff is creating a 34-person canine unit in the jail. ongoing maintenance will total $862 million by 2035. a new health care facility is expect to cost $190 million.
Reposted by Katie Prout
the cook county sheriff's office is the second-largest agency, behind the massive cook county health system.
despite a sagging jail population and the end of the sheriff's electronic monitoring program, sheriff tom dart's budget is set to grow by $64 million, to roughly $815 million.
background:
despite a sagging jail population and the end of the sheriff's electronic monitoring program, sheriff tom dart's budget is set to grow by $64 million, to roughly $815 million.
background:
Cook County chief judge takes over electronic monitoring
On April 1, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office began shuttering one of the country’s largest and most restrictive electronic monitoring programs.
chicagoreader.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:16 PM
the cook county sheriff's office is the second-largest agency, behind the massive cook county health system.
despite a sagging jail population and the end of the sheriff's electronic monitoring program, sheriff tom dart's budget is set to grow by $64 million, to roughly $815 million.
background:
despite a sagging jail population and the end of the sheriff's electronic monitoring program, sheriff tom dart's budget is set to grow by $64 million, to roughly $815 million.
background:
Reposted by Katie Prout
last month, 68 groups with the illinois network for pretrial justice called on cook county commissioners to freeze spending on law enforcement to preserve vital programs that have been slashed by the trump admin.
instead, the county board voted to give the sheriff and the state's attorney a raise.
instead, the county board voted to give the sheriff and the state's attorney a raise.
sixty-eight chicago community, faith, + social service organizations are calling on cook county commissioners to “protect and increase social service spending” amid drastic cuts nationally from the trump admin.
they suggest freezing all law enforcement spending, which has “unjustifiably increased.”
they suggest freezing all law enforcement spending, which has “unjustifiably increased.”
November 25, 2025 at 9:16 PM
last month, 68 groups with the illinois network for pretrial justice called on cook county commissioners to freeze spending on law enforcement to preserve vital programs that have been slashed by the trump admin.
instead, the county board voted to give the sheriff and the state's attorney a raise.
instead, the county board voted to give the sheriff and the state's attorney a raise.
Reposted by Katie Prout
a little further west yesterday in east dundee, illinois:
five vehicles driven by ice agents spotted near railroad and river street.
five vehicles driven by ice agents spotted near railroad and river street.
November 24, 2025 at 1:34 AM
a little further west yesterday in east dundee, illinois:
five vehicles driven by ice agents spotted near railroad and river street.
five vehicles driven by ice agents spotted near railroad and river street.
I’m not the one to write it, but for years I’ve wanted to read a long form profile on the women who work here, especially the ones who wear black underwear while they scrub you to the bone. Manifesting someone writing this in 2026 ✨
November 23, 2025 at 11:38 PM
I’m not the one to write it, but for years I’ve wanted to read a long form profile on the women who work here, especially the ones who wear black underwear while they scrub you to the bone. Manifesting someone writing this in 2026 ✨