A longtime Will County employee recently was promoted to warden of the county’s Adult Detention Facility, officials said.
Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley promoted Dale Santerelli, who had been a deputy chief at the jail for two years, to the warden post. Santerelli’s promotion carries the rank of chief deputy and warden title.
“He was hired there 21 years ago and he has worked his way up through the ranks in that facility,” Kelley said. “The guy knows it like the back of his hand.”
Santerelli began as a correctional deputy and has served on the Emergency Response Team for more than 18 years. In 2008, he was moved to correctional lieutenant, and in 2014, to correctional deputy chief of support services at the jail.
He replaces Brad Josephson, who retired.
“It was sad to see Brad leave, too,” Kelley said. “For lack of a better word, I grew up with him on the department. He was another friend, another colleague, another guy you have respect for, but it’s kind of hard to tell a guy he can’t retire.”
Within the sheriff’s administration, there is one undersheriff, two chief deputies, including the warden, and five deputy chiefs.
Replacing Santerelli as deputy chief is Dave Adams, who has 15 years of experience at the jail, according to the sheriff’s office.
Because Josephson and Santerelli worked closely together, the jail “won’t skip a beat,” Kelley said.
Erin Gallagher is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.