Citizens for Bob Berlin

05/25/2026

The true meaning of Memorial Day is written in sacrifice.

05/20/2026

On May 15, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert “Bob” Berlin, Duo Dog Crew, and members of the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, including members assigned to Crew and the Animal Protection Unit, attended the DuPage Animal Friends DuPage Furever Friends Gala at the Chicago Marriott Oak Brook.

The gala was held in support of DuPage County Animal Services. Through financial support and advocacy, the organization ensures animals receive the care they need while working towards a future where every pet has a home. Both the Animal Protection Unit, the first of its kind in the state - created by Berlin in 2025 - and Crew, who joined the office in September 2024, were highlighted during the gala.

Full story: https://www.bobberlin.com/news/bob-berlin-duo-dog-crew-and-assistant-states-attorneys-attend-furever-friends-gala

05/18/2026

On Thursday, State's Attorney Berlin provided opening remarks to the attendees of the 18th Judicial Family Violence Coordinating Council - DuPage County, IL's training seminar on addressing violence through exposure, risk, and prevention.

The seminar explored the overlap between domestic and community violence, reducing the risk, and strengthening prevention across systems. The training included presentations by the Center for Advancing Domestic Peace, a multidisciplinary panel discussion, and Q&A with panelists. Attendees included law enforcement, court personnel, social service providers, educators, healthcare professionals, and community organizations.

Full story: https://www.bobberlin.com/news/bob-berlin-provides-opening-remarks-at-domestic-violence-training-seminar

05/11/2026

On May 6, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert “Bob” Berlin traveled to Springfield in his capacity as an Illinois Executive Committee member of Fight Crime: Invest In Kids to meet with members of the Illinois General Assembly to lobby for critical children’s programs that help stop crime before it happens. Berlin and others were specifically seeking funding for the Smart Start Early Childhood Workforce Grants and the Early Childhood Block Grant.

Meetings with legislators included: Senate Minority Leader John Curran, Senator Seth Lewis, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, Representative Patrick Windhorst, Senator Michael Halpin, House Majority Leader Robyn Gabel, and House Assistant Majority Leader Eva-Dina Delgado.

Berlin was joined by other members of Fight Crime: Invest In Kids including Peoria County State’s Attorney Jodi Hoos, Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser, Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weiss, Lake Zurich Police Chief Steve Husak, Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins, and Urbana Police Chief Larry Boone.

Full story: https://www.bobberlin.com/news/fight-crime-invest-in-kids-springfield-lobbying-day-2026

04/20/2026

Last Thursday, the 18th Judicial Family Violence Coordinating Council - DuPage County, IL's Paint the Town Purple event was held in Downers Grove.

The event brought together volunteers to raise awareness and make resources visible across using the DV Resource QR Code posters. State’s Attorney Bob Berlin was joined by a large contingent of Assistant State’s Attorneys who donated their personal time to help in the effort. State’s Attorney Berlin is also a member of the FVCC.

Thank you to DuPage County Circuit Court Judge Ann Celine Walsh, who serves as Chair of the FVCC and helped to spearhead this event. Also, thank you to Cadence Kitchen & Co. and Chef Todd Davies, who participated in the event.

Learn more about FVCC and Paint The Town Purple here: https://www.bobberlin.com/news/states-attorneys-join-dupages-family-violence-coordinating-council-to-paint-the-town-purple

04/13/2026

On April 10, 2026 a team of Assistant State's Attorneys participated in Franklin Middle School (Wheaton) and Wheaton Fire Fighters Local 3706 famous "Hero Night" Charity Dodgeball Tournament. The theme of this year's event was "Knock Out Cancer: Catch Kindness." The 2026 Tournament benefited the following charities and organizations: Cal's Angels, The Anthony Rizzo Foundation, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Lace 'Em Up, Budda's Brotherhood Foundation and Franklin Middle School.

Notably, Franklin Middle School Assistant Principal Joe Kish organized this event, and this was his final tournament. Assistant Principal Kish is retiring at the end of the school year after serving as Assistant Principal at Franklin for 19 years and 33 years in CUSD 200.

Please join us in congratulating Assistant Principal Kish on another excellent tournament and a career well spent molding youth positively. Wishing Assistant Principal Kish all the best in the next chapter of life!

03/31/2026

On Monday, Bob Berlin announced that the Court has denied the State’s motion to deny pre-trial release for a man accused of DUI with a twenty-two-month-old child in the back seat of his vehicle. The defendant appeared in First Appearance Court on Monday charged with four counts of Aggravated DUI (Class 2 Felony) and multiple misdemeanor and petty traffic offenses including Endangering the Health or Life of a Child.

On March 29, at approximately 9:46 p.m., Elmhurst police officers responded to the call of a disturbance involving a woman and dark-colored SUV. Officers located a vehicle matching the description and observed it commit multiple lane violations. The vehicle was stopped and officers made contact with the driver (defendant). Also in the vehicle were the defendant's wife and twenty-two-month-old child. The defendant allegedly had bloodshot, watery eyes; slurred speech; and emitted an odor of alcoholic beverage. Three open Modelo beer bottles were allegedly observed in the passenger compartment. After performing standardized field sobriety tests, the defendant was taken into custody. At the police station, the defendant provided a breath sample that allegedly revealed his BAC to be .208. The defendant has two previous convictions for DUI and is currently on probation for Aggravated DUI.

Berlin stated: "What I find unconscionable in this case are the allegations that with a .208 BAC, Mr. Lara, who is currently on probation for aggravated DUI, put his twenty-two-month-old child in the car and then proceeded to drive, endangering the lives of everyone in that vehicle. The fact that Mr. Lara is currently on probation for aggravated DUI and is now charged with yet another non-detainable DUI offense, illustrates the need to strengthen the State’s Safe-T-Act to allow a judge the opportunity to detain an individual based on the facts and circumstances of each particular defendant’s case."

Full story: https://www.bobberlin.com/news/addison-man-accused-of-dui-with-22-month-old-child-in-back-seat

02/21/2026

Facility dogs Crew (of the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office) and Captain provide support to children and victims testifying in Illinois courts.

Duo Dog's Crew and Captain, are 3-year-old Labrador retrievers who provide support to kids who have to testify as part of their work as facility dogs for DuPage and Kane counties.

“He puts everyone in a great mood, I don’t know what we would do without him," said DuPage County State's Attorney Bob Berlin of Crew. "He is trained to go to court to sit with victims and witnesses who are being interviewed. He naturally will go to someone who is in distress."

Crew is a 3-year-old black lab working for DuPage County, and his littermate Captain is a yellow lab working in nearby Kane County. "I wasn’t aware that Captain and Crew were from the same litter, and we found out shortly after," Berlin said. "We decided it would be a great idea to reunite them."

"We have a number of s*x assaults to children as well as batteries to children, and it’s already a confusing environment for them to go into," said Kane County States Attorney Jamie Mosser. "But when you have a dog who’s there to give a little joy, a little ray of hope, it makes it that much easier for them to go into the court system."

Two young Labrador retriever brothers working as therapy dogs in suburban counties reunited this week at the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.

02/05/2026

On Wednesday, Bob Berlin announced that Judge Joshua Dieden has granted the State’s motion to deny pre-trial release for a Downers Grove man accused of hiding a loaded weapon under an occupied child car seat. The defendant appeared in First Appearance Court on Wednesday charged with one count of Aggravated Unlawful Possession of a Weapon Concealed in a Vehicle – No FOID or CCL (Class 4 Felony) and one count each of Misdemeanor charges including Resisting a Police Officer, Endangering the Health or Life of a Child and Unlawful Possession of Cannabis by a Passenger.

On February 3, 2026, at approximately 10:47 p.m., Naperville Police Officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle whose registered owner, later identified as the defendant, had active warrants out of Cook County. During the traffic stop, officers made contact with the defendant, who was seated in the rear passenger seat behind the front passenger seat. Officers also observed that next to the defendant, in the middle seat, was a child car seat with a one-year-old child seated in it. It is alleged that when officers informed the defendant that he was under arrest and asked him to exit the vehicle, he resisted and ultimately had to be forced out by officers. It is alleged that during a search of the vehicle officers located a loaded 9mm R***r pistol with one bullet in the chamber under the child car seat in which his daughter was sitting. It is further alleged that the R***r was less than an inch away from where Street was sitting and that the handle of the gun was facing the defendant with the barrel pointed towards the driver's side of the vehicle.

“The very idea that someone would hide a loaded weapon, with one bullet in the chamber, under an occupied child car seat where their infant daughter was sitting is inconceivable,” Berlin said. “Thankfully, officers were able to remove the weapon before tragedy struck."

Full story here: https://www.bobberlin.com/news/loaded-gun-under-one-year-olds-seat

01/23/2026

Reclaim13 hosted its 3rd Annual Focus on Child Trafficking Luncheon & Awards on Wednesday at Christ Church (Oak Brook). At the luncheon, the DuPage County Children’s Advocacy Center and Director Cathy Hundley received Reclaim 13’s 2026 Reclaiming Pathways Award for their work investigating cases of physical and s*xual abuse, and coordinating services to survivors of human trafficking. The “Reclaiming Pathways Award” specifically recognizes organizations and individuals for “transforming the foundation of healing for Survivors of child trafficking through active partnership that strengthen pathways to community, healing, and hope.”

The Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) is a specialized unit of the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. State's Attorney Berlin joined members of the CAC to honor their service and dedication to child victims throughout the county. “The Children’s Advocacy Center provides a coordinated, multi-disciplinary approach to child s*xual and physical abuse investigations by recognizing the special needs of child victims while demanding accountability for the crimes of s*xual and physical abuse investigations,” Berlin stated.

Reclaim13 is led by Founder and Executive Director Dr. Cassandra Ma, a champion of children and survivors. Thank you for your service and passion, Dr. Ma.

Full story: https://www.bobberlin.com/news/cac-receives-pathways-award-reclaim13