In April 2018, Sheriff Curran nominated Carmen Patlan to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Merit Commission. Ms. Patlan’s nomination followed a vacancy on the Merit Commission created by the departure of Commission Secretary David A. Northern, Sr. Mr. Northern honorably served on the Merit Commission since December of 2016 and resigned his position to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Champaign County Housing Authority. On May 8, 2018, the Lake County Board approved Sheriff Curran’s nomination of Ms. Patlan to the Merit Commission.
Sheriff Curran nominated Ms. Patlan because of her qualifications, knowledge, and dedicated service to the citizens of Lake County. Ms. Patlan currently serves as the Chief Development Officer of A Safe Place, a domestic violence victim advocacy and assistance organization in Lake County. Ms. Patlan has served this organization since 2016, prior to which she served Waukegan Community School District 60 as a Family Engagement Consultant and the Waukegan Public Library as the Community Engagement and Development Manager. Additionally, Ms. Patlan previously served as the Director of Social Concerns for Most Blessed Trinity Parish in Waukegan.
Ms. Patlan has served in numerous volunteer positions including on the Governor’s Anti-Racial Profiling Board, Zion-Benton Children’s Service, a task force for Live Well Lake County, the Catholic Hispanic Council of Chicago, Lake County United, and the Immigrant Integration Network of Lake County.
In 1965, the Lake County Board enacted an ordinance creating the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Merit Commission. The Merit Commission is a quasi-judicial administrative agency. It operates independently of both the Sheriff and the County Board, administering a system along recognized principles of public employment, promotion, and discipline, as prescribed by state statute and county ordinance.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office Merit Commission is tasked with screening all applicants seeking appointment to the office of Deputy Sheriff, administering examinations for promotions within the Sheriff’s Office, conducting hearings on disciplinary charges brought before the commission, and other various administrative duties.
Since Sheriff Curran took office in 2006, the entire makeup of the Merit Commission has changed. Sheriff Curran maintained political party equality of the Merit Commission, nominating both Republicans and Democrats.
Photo from left to right: Chief Jon Petrillo, Lieutenant Brian Keller, Deputy Chief Scot Kurek, Deputy Chief Michael Keller, Ms. Carmen Patlan, Sheriff Mark Curran, Undersheriff Dave Hare.
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