Cook County Sheriff's Police Intellectual Property Theft Enforcement Program

This program is authorized by the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 (Pub. L. 112-55) and informed by section 401 of Public Law 110-403, which authorizes the Department to provide funding to support state and local intellectual property enforcement efforts. The Intellectual Property Theft Enforcement Program is designed to provide national support and improve the capacity of state, local, and tribal criminal justice systems to address intellectual property criminal enforcement, including prosecution, prevention, training, and technical assistance. This program is generally informed by section 401 of Public law 110-403, which authorizes the Department to provide funding to support state and local intellectual property crime enforcement efforts.

The Cook County Sheriff's Police (CCSP) Special Operations Unit is comprised of ten full-time officers, who are all trained in policing and investigating the crime of intellectual property theft. The unit has participated in countless intellectual property stings; and have identified countless manufacturers, wholesale operations, flea markets, mega malls, and street vendors in Cook County, where illegal counterfeiting operations were functioning. The Sheriff's Police have been successful in fighting counterfeiting operations, making multiple arrests, and getting multiple convictions.

The goal of the CCSP will be to initiate two investigations per month involving the act of counterfeiting at retail establishments, megamalls, flea markets, tradeshows, and the like. Staying in constant contact with the US Customs and Immigration, FBI, Cook County State's Attorney's Office, and most if not all, suburban law enforcement agencies in Cook County, will continue to be a top priority. CA/NCF