Teamsters Local 700 Decries Ongoing Sexual Harassment at Cook County Jail

Teamsters Local 700, which proudly represents the hardworking correctional officers at Cook County Jail, is speaking out in response to the troubling recent report by WGN regarding the ongoing sexual harassment of our members by detainees.

What our officers—especially our female members—are enduring is not just disturbing, it is inhumane and unacceptable. No employee should have to come to work expecting to be sexually harassed, demeaned, or assaulted. Yet for far too many of our members, that has become a regular reality.

We commend Claudia Lanuza for her courage in speaking publicly. Her story is not isolated. Many of our members have reported similar experiences, and many more suffer in silence out of fear, shame, or frustration with a system that too often fails to protect them.

For far too long, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office and the State’s Attorney’s Office have failed to take the problem seriously or to implement stronger protections and real accountability for this unacceptable behavior. 

We are calling on the Sheriff and State’s Attorney to work with us to:

• Pursue felony charges against repeat offenders to ensure real consequences for sexually abusive behavior.

• Implement immediate policy changes, including improved monitoring, quicker response protocols, and expanded officer support services.

• Provide mandatory trauma-informed counseling and leave options for affected employees.

Teamsters Local 700 stands firmly with every correctional officer facing this crisis. We will use every tool at our disposal to demand justice, safety, and dignity for the women and men who risk their lives behind the walls of Cook County Jail. 

We will not stop until our members can do their jobs without being subjected to daily harassment and abuse. This is not part of the job, and we will not accept it.