JOIN US

Category: Uncategorized

Monday Mourning 1/18/2016

I don’t have better news for you this week. Nine people were shot and killed and 58 people were shot and wounded since my last email to you. Today we honor the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a victim of gun violence on April 4, 1968. Forty eight years later, gun safety restrictions dominate the […]

Guns Are Our Shared Responsibility

by President Barack O’Bama THE epidemic of gun violence in our country is a crisis. Gun deaths and injuries constitute one of the greatest threats to public health and to the safety of the American people. Every year, more than 30,000 Americans have their lives cut short by guns. Suicides. Domestic violence. Gang shootouts. Accidents. […]

On the third anniversary of the Sandy Hook Mass Shooting

On the third anniversary of the Sandy Hook slaughter of children and teachers with a semi-automatic military style assault weapon, we are reminded why many of us joined this movement. No spin. Take the time to watch this https://www.facebook.com/WhatWouldDanielDo/videos/423872714403966/?fref=nf and honor one of the precious little ones who was lost that day. Resolve to keep […]

One Victory-We’ll Take it

In an attempt to curb the number of illegal firearms that flow from southwest suburban Lyons to Chicago, the village passed an ordinance Tuesday requiring its lone gun shop to keep extensive records of the weapons it sells and to report unusual activity to local authorities. Midwest Sporting Goods, which has operated a gun store […]

Rahm Emanuel Accepts Unmasking the Paper Tiger 2015

“We have an opportunity to make a difference.” Mayor Emanuel says that our laws should reflect our values. Children should have the freedom to play outside and grow up in a safe community.  Watch full speech here.

Suing to End Flow of Illegal Guns into Our Communities

The Gun Violence Prevention PAC supported the Coalition for Safe Chicago Neighborhoods today as they filed a lawsuit against Riverdale, Lyons and Lincolnwood for their methods of licensing and regulating gun shops. These municipalities have consistently failed to take the necessary and most effective steps to discourage the flow of illegal guns into the hands of criminals and gang […]

What If We ALL Showed Up?

I received a great note from Lee Goodman at Peaceful Communities that I  just had to share with you. Father Phleger is hosting his Annual Peace March tomorrow and Lee thinks it’s important that we all join the march to send a message to our policymakers that we want them to protect our children, families […]

Facebook-f Instagram Twitter
1235 N Clybourn Ave Ste A246
Chicago, IL 60610 – 2435
Contact us: [email protected]
847-920-4722
© 2023. All rights reserved. Privacy & Terms

Rick Ryan

Facebook-f Twitter Globe
As the Lake County State’s Attorney, I am honored and humbled every day to lead the fight against crime, and to strive to ensure equal and just treatment under the law. I have been an attorney for twenty-two years – and each of those years has made me a stronger and smarter advocate for people, for ideas, and for the principles that unite us all.

I am so proud to lead an office of 140 dedicated colleagues who serve the public by prosecuting crime, advocating for victims, and planning crime prevention programs. I am also proud to work with hundreds of Lake County police officers on a daily basis to connect with every community and to develop comprehensive, holistic plans to respond to the mental health and economic crisis that arose from the COVID-19 pandemic.

On one particular day, July 4, 2022, I was saddened, inspired, and motivated by the bravery of so many people. We will always stand with the victims and honor the police and other first responders who ran toward the danger. Just as so many heroes that day thought only of themselves, I also witnessed the prosecutors in my office answer the call to serve survivors and their community – even on one of its darkest days.

Every moment that I have been your legal representative, I have worked tirelessly to oversee prosecutions and to implement policies that make my family and my neighbors safer in the short term and in the long term. That is the job of the State’s Attorney: to prosecute, to innovate, and to strategically plan.

I was raised in a small town. My parents are teachers, and from them, I learned that everyone must be treated equally and that America’s sacred mission is to provide a political, economic, and legal system that allows anyone to prosper regardless of the circumstances of their birth. After graduating from Knox College and the University of Chicago Law School, I spent two years at a first-rate civil law firm in Chicago where I learned that hard work and attention to detail on every case mean the difference between success and failure.

With my wonderful wife Stephanie, I am raising my two sons, Sam and Teddy, in Lake County. Nothing is more important to me than my family’s safety and I bring that passion and determination to protect all families with me to work every day.

I joined the Lake County Public Defender’s Office in 2003 and started my own law firm in 2009. From 2003 until 2020, I watched the Lake County legal system fail to prioritize violent crime, prevent wrongful prosecutions, or address racial disparities.

So, in 2019, I decided to run for State’s Attorney so that I could serve our community by improving a local legal system that cared more about covering up its mistakes and biases than uncovering new and innovative ways to help people.

I won the 2020 election, and became the first Democrat to hold this position in 40 years. Bringing in a new party wasn’t as important as ending 40 years of one mindset that had forgotten the people and that had failed to act urgently to develop new strategic plans to prevent crime while also ensuring that each prosecution is smart, moral, and just.

We have followed through on our promises. We have built the first-ever violent crimes unit, increased prosecutors in our domestic violence division, and vastly upgraded our cyber lab. Now, we have top-notch software and personnel to finally keep up with those who would exploit others.

We have been awarded a large federal grant to bring the first ever Human Trafficking Task Force to Lake County. We have deepened our investment in people by bringing in more victim specialists and raising the salaries of many of our prosecutors.

But the work goes on. We must expand our prevention efforts that are starting with the Gun Violence Prevention Initiative launched in 2022. And we know that the opioid crisis touches thousands of lives throughout this country.

I am proud to serve on the Executive Board of the Lake County Opioid Initiative which has been working tirelessly since its founding in 2012 to reverse a devastating trend of increased overdoses. In 2022, our office was part of a national settlement against opioid manufacturers and distributors.

As an attorney of 22 years, I have committed my life to helping people, and I have conducted over 70 jury trials in Lake County, and handled appeals that have culminated in over 20 oral arguments before the appellate court and Supreme Court of Illinois.

I see my time in this office as the next phase of helping a community that I love and where I have chosen to raise my family. In my first term, we have made Lake County safer and fairer through just prosecutions, constitutional policing, and innovative crime prevention policies.