State’s Attorney Foxx Appoints Veteran Prosecutor to Lead Special Prosecutions Bureau
CHICAGO – Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly M. Foxx today announced the hiring of Charise Valente to serve as the Chief of the Special Prosecutions Bureau. Cases handled by the Special Prosecutions Bureau involve long-term proactive investigations that are supervised by seasoned prosecutors with specialized knowledge and experience. A photo of Assistant State’s Attorney (ASA) Valente’s swearing in can be found here.
“Some of our most complex cases, which are imperative to improving public safety and restoring public trust, are handled in Special Prosecutions,” State’s Attorney Foxx said. “Charise is a talented prosecutor who possesses the skills, judgement and dedication to lead this bureau.”
The State's Attorney has put a greater emphasis on this bureau to head the specialized investigations that attack the core operations of sophisticated criminal enterprises, including street gangs, public corruption and white-collar crime. These cases have the potential for a greater, long-term impact for the public good, and they demonstrate the office’s intolerance for violence and corruption at the hand of criminal enterprises and dishonest public officials.
“I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to lead the Special Prosecutions Bureau under the direction of State’s Attorney Foxx,” Valente said.
ASA Valente has more than 20 years of experience working in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. She comes back to the Office after serving as General Counsel for the Chicago Police Department, where she was heavily involved in the Federal Court oversight of the department and development of the consent decree. ASA Valente received her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office works to uphold public safety through the fair and efficient administration of justice. Follow @SAKimFoxx and @CookCountySAO on Twitter for updates.