WCSO Press Releases

ILLINOIS SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION

WILL COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

The Illinois Sheriff's Association is announcing that it will be awarding $54,500.00 in college scholarships throughout the State of Illinois to students wishing to pursue higher education during the 2017-2018 academic year.  The scholarships are to be applied to tuition, books and fees only.  The student must be enrolled full-time at a certified institution of higher learning within the State of Illinois.

Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley will be awarding one scholarship for $1,000.  There will be no restriction on any applicant by reason of race, age, creed, color, sex or national origin.  The only limitations are that applicants must be permanent Illinois residents, the scholarship must be utilized at an institution of higher learning within Illinois, and students must be enrolled as a full time student during the 2017-18 school year (excluding summer session).

Applications are now available at www.ilsheriff.org for all counties in Illinois or visit the Will County Sheriff's Office website at www.willcosheriff.org.  Students must complete the application; answer the essay question, and return all documentation to Will County Sheriff's Office, Attn:  Scholarship Application, 14 W. Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL  60432.   The application must be postmarked by March, 15, 2017.   -end-

Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley is announcing the promotion of Dale Santerelli as the Chief Deputy (Warden) of the Will County Adult Detention Facility.  Warden Santerelli is a 21 year veteran of the Sheriff's Office, beginning his career as a Correctional Deputy.  Warden Santerelli is highly respected within the entire department and has worked in all aspects of the jail including being a member of the Emergency Response Team for over 18 years.  Throughout his career he has moved up the ranks being promoted to Correctional Lieutenant in 2008.  Upon Sheriff Kelley taking office in 2014, Santerelli was promoted to Correctional Deputy Chief of Support Services at the ADF.

Warden Santerelli has completed several instructor level training courses and has educated correctional staff on various detention center topics throughout his career.  He is a graduate of Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, Supervision of Police Personnel.

This promotion comes after the recent retirement of Chief Deputy (Warden) Brad Josephson.  Santerelli has been replaced by Dave Adams.  Correctional Deputy Chief of Support Services, Dave Adams, came to the position with 15 years of Will County ADF experience.  -end-

The Will County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigation Unit and the Traffic Unit now have a new tool for processing scenes. One of only three in the state of Illinois, the Sheriff’s Office purchased a Faro Focus 3-D Laser Scanner to assist our investigators at traffic crashes and crime scenes. Compared to the Total Station, which was a two-man job with only 2-D scanning images and took hours at a scene to scan, the Faro Focus scans in 3-D, is light-weight, compact, is a one man job, and an entire scene can be scanned in less than half the time. The new technology provided by this scanner takes the images and creates a virtual map of the entire area. Measurements between objects are detailed within 2 millimeters and are automatically built in; accident reconstruction is made clear; blood splatter can be measured and becomes more visible; trajectory of bullet paths can be followed with precise accuracy and re-creations of a path a suspect took during the crime can also be developed. The scanner also allows 3-D images in greyscale and in total darkness. It is controlled by a touchscreen and has the capability to be linked to a smartphone or a computer. 

            Crime Scene Investigator Sgt. Jeremy Zdzinicki, who did the research and spearheaded the proposal stated, “Our main objective is for courtroom trials. It’s a great new tool for law enforcement to build their case and for the State’s Attorneys who prosecute them. This equipment takes the judge and jury right to the scene as if they were there. ”

     For the past week, three deputies from the Crime Scene Unit and three deputies from the Traffic Unit have been in the process of a 40 hour training with instructor David Dustin. Dustin is President of Dustin Forensics where the scanner was purchased. Once the courses are complete the scanner will be put to use.

    In the future the Sheriff’s Office plans to be pro-active in using the scanner in schools and other high security buildings in Will County in case of an emergency situation. Instead of using the current 2-D blueprints of a building, this could potentially save officers critical time, give them pertinent information and give them an accurate picture of what an area actually looks like before entering it.   

Photo 1:  Sgt. Jeremy Zdzinicki (blue shirt/tie) with Instructor David Dustin

Photo 2:  Dustin showing a virtual scan of a scene

Photo 3:  Scan in total darkness

Photo 4:  Traffic deputies in training 

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A house has exploded at 14145 S. Parker Road in Homer Township.  A robo-call has been sent out for evacuation of the area within a half mile radius of the residence.  People are being asked to leave their homes immediately within this range.  Homer Village Hall is open for evacuated residents.  Emergency personnel are going door to door to help with the evacuation.  Nicor gas remains on scene.  They are reporting at least a 5 hour minimum time frame to cap the leak.  The public is asked to call Nicor with any updates.    Two people were taken to Silver Cross Hospital with burn injuries.  Extent of the injuries is unknown at this time.  -end-

3:30 pm:   The Will County Sheriff's Office is advising motorists and residents in and around 143rd Street and Parker Road in Homer Township to avoid the area because of a gas leak.   Nicor Gas is currently at the scene, along with NW Homer Fire District, Homer Emergency Management Agency, and Will County Emergency Management Agency.   The situation is being closely monitored by these agencies.  No evacuations are taking place at this time however residents in the area are being informed by emergency personnel. 

Homer Consolidated School District #33C and Will County School District #92 were immediately notified of the situation and arrangements were made for alternative transportation home for the students safety. 

The following roads are closed at this time:    135th to  Parker ,  143rd to Lemont Rd,  151st to Parker,  and 143rd to Bell Road.

We are asking motorists to please stay clear of these areas until Nicor has safely secured the leak.   -end- 

The Will County Sheriff's Office is announcing the apprehension of murder suspect, Tariq J. Pinnick, age 20, of Lockport.  On November 30, 2016 Will County Crimestoppers received a tip with information of Pinnick's possible whereabouts.  Sheriff's detectives contacted the United States Marshalls and Georgia's Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office where they began looking for Pinnick.  On December 8th, Pinnick was picked up at a residence in Norcross, GA and was taken into custody. 

Pinnick remains in custody in Georgia on unrelated felony obstructing justice charges.  Upon completion of his court proceedings he will be extradited back to Will County to stand trial for First Degree murder.

On January 13, 2016 Will County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the 200 block of Barry Avenue in Lockport Township where they found Dylan Somma, age 22, with a single gunshot wound to his chest and unresponsive.  He was transported to Silver Cross Hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.  Sheriff's detectives believe that Pinnick shot Somma during an altercation over the purchase of drugs.  A warrant was issued for Pinnick on January 14th.

Will County Crimestoppers will be issuing the $5,000 reward money to the person who provided the tip leading to the arrest of Tariq Pinnick.   -end-