Will County State’s Attorney Glasgow honored by Illinois police chiefs

The Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police has selected Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow as its Public Official of the Year for 2024.

The ILACP is “Illinois’ voice of professional law enforcement,” according to a news release from the association.

“Mr. Glasgow has a history of advocating for public safety and providing necessary resources to keep our communities safe,” ILACP Executive Director Kenny Winslow said in the release. “He’s not afraid to speak up for his constituents or prosecute the hard cases.”

Lemont Police Chief Marc Maton, ILACP president, presented Glasgow with the award at the ILACP executive board meeting at the Midwest Security and Police Conference/Expo on Aug. 22 in Tinley Park.

“He’s a policeman’s prosecutor and he is always on our side,” Maton said in the release.

Glasgow has long supported law enforcement and “has implemented groundbreaking initiatives to successfully investigate, prosecute, and prevent crime,” according to the release. He has also provided financial support over the past few years to help agencies acquire technology. His public safety initiatives include his “innovative use of forfeiture funds,” which provide license plate readers, police K-9s and tint meters, according to the release.

Glasgow founded the Will County Children’s Advocacy Center in 1995, launched the High Technology Crimes Unit in 2012 and was recognized by the Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women’s Network “for his prosecutorial leadership in the area of protecting the victims of domestic violence,” according to a news release from the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office.

He created Will County’s first Gang Prosecution Unit and formed a Financial Crimes Prosecution Unit “to assist those who are victims of financial exploitation, theft, and identity theft or loan fraud,” according to the ILACP release.

In 2023, the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office received the Prosecuting Agency of the Year by the Department of Homeland Security, according to the ILACP release.

Glasgow’s successful legislative initiatives include authoring the synthetic marijuana ban and plugging a 25-year-old loophole in the Illinois DUI statute by adding intoxicating compounds to the list of prohibited substances, according to the ILACP release.

“As a result of a horrific hit-and-run traffic accident that left three teenagers dead or dying on the side of a road, State’s Attorney Glasgow wrote legislation increasing the penalty for such an offense to a Class 2 felony with an extended sentencing range for multiple deaths of three to 14 years,” according to the ILACP release.

For a list of all ILACP Public Officials of the Year, visit ilchiefs.org.