A History of Service
Sheriff John D. Idleburg attended Zion Benton High School and after graduating, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. After Idleburg completed his service he returned to Zion, where he was a union worker at Johnson Motors, and in 1977 left to join the Lake County Sheriff’s Office as a Sheriff’s Deputy in the Work Release Camp in Zion. Always looking ahead for a better future for his family, he left the Lake County Sheriff’s Office for the Great Lakes Police Department. He rapidly went from a street cop to the detective bureau.
Idleburg steadily rose up the ranks and being acknowledged for his hard work he was invited to work with the U.S. Department of Defense as a Special Investigator. After several years of dedicated work, he joined the U.S. Treasury Department as a Special Agent.
After three decades of federal service and union participation, Idleburg retired. He enjoyed retirement for a few months but decided to go back to work joining the Lake County Forest Preserve, Zion Park Police and Lake Forest Hospital. He served as Post Commander for the American Legion Zion Post 865 for 4 years. He is the past President of the Illinois Police Association, current Commissioner for the Police and Fire Commission in Zion and the Lake County Housing Authority.
He was elected as Lake County Sheriff in 2018 and has been providing dedicated service to our community. He has brought substantial improvements on behalf of the people pf Lake County and the men and women who work for the Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff John D. Idleburg resides in Zion with his wife, Pam, and is a proud father and grandfather.
