Sheriff Dart speaks on mental health and criminal justice reform at DePaul, urges students to "Get Involved"

Sheriff Tom Dart speaks at an event sponsored by the DePaul Democrats Tuesday evening. (BRENDEN MOORE/THE DEPAULIA)

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart discussed everything from his efforts on mental health reform to rumors of a possible 2019 mayoral run during an appearance on campus Tuesday evening.

The event, sponsored by the DePaul College Democrats, provided an oasis of calm discussion amid the chaotic scene across the university brought on by Milo Yiannopoulos’ concurrent event and the student protests it generated.

Dart, who was elected to a third term as sheriff in 2014, spoke for around 20 minutes and then took questions from the audience of about 50 for about another hour. Much of the discussion focused on mental health and criminal justice reform, issues Dart has championed as he challenges the traditional role of what a sheriff’s job is.

“85 percent of the people who enter our jail go right out the door back out to the community,” Dart said. “So the majority, the largest funnel, is coming out of jails. Yet, the people who operate jails traditionally have thought they’re not the ones to try and fix the broken toys because that’s going to be done somewhere else.”

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