The National Law Center for Children and Families awarded the inaugural Child Defender of the Month award to the Cook County, Illinois Sheriff's Police Sex Offender Unit. 

Executive Director Richard Whidden presented this award to Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, Police Chief Bill McHenry and Sex Offender Registration Unit Commander John Palcu in Chicago on December 19, 2006.

The Cook County Sheriff's Police Sex Offender Unit recently recorded their 400th arrest and have been working on numerous efforts to protect children in the  Chicagoland area.

"Law enforcement works very hard across the nation to protect children and the National Law Center is proud to recognize these dedicated servants with our Child Defender of the Month awards," said Richard Whidden. "We want to thank the administration and officers of the Cook County Sheriff's Police Sex Offender Unit for their hard work keeping their community safe."