“I don’t allow people to be bullied. I don’t allow corruption to stand. I speak up, even when it costs me.”

Anthony Alexander Costello is a board member of the Cook County Corrections Coalition (C4) and serves as Director of Discipline. Born in Evanston and raised in Rogers Park, Costello’s life journey has spanned from Long Island to Orlando before he returned to Chicago as an emancipated teenager. Shaped by early family tragedy and hardship, he brings a fearless sense of purpose to every space he enters.

Costello began working at the Cook County Jail because he thrives under pressure and seeks to uplift others during their lowest moments.

At Cook County Jail, Costello has served across a wide range of high-pressure environments, including:

• Division 8 RTU

• Division 2,

• Division 6

• Division 11

• External Operations

• In-Person Visitation.

His eyes were opened to the darker side of the department when he was falsely accused by a supervisor and intentionally placed in harm’s way. He was targeted for assault by inmates based on a lie, forced to work alone on a max tier with no backup, and subjected to retaliation in the form of daily mandation and false OPR complaints. While still on probation, he was threatened with termination, only for OPR to later confirm all allegations were false.

That experience was the beginning of Costello’s advocacy. After being injured on duty and enduring multiple assaults, he sought relief through the union. Despite filing a hardship, requesting mental health support, and following all proper channels, his calls went unanswered. Months of empty promises and silence revealed to him that support would not come unless officers fought for it themselves. That realization led him to opt out of Teamsters 700 and align with C4.

Why He Joined C4

Costello joined C4 to build something that didn’t exist when he needed it most, a movement where officers protect one another when the system turns a blind eye. He was part of the early conversations that inspired C4’s creation, knowing change had to begin from within.

“I was speaking out before C4 existed. We knew something had to change, and now it has.”

What He Brings to the Board

Costello brings unshakable courage. He doesn’t flinch in the face of power, doesn’t tolerate bullying, and doesn’t fold under pressure. His willingness to speak truth, no matter the consequences, embodies the spirit of C4.

“I don’t allow people to be bullied. I don’t allow corruption to stand. I speak up, even when it costs me.”

Personal Mission

“My mission is to help others who feel discouraged, isolated, or afraid know that they are not alone, no matter what this agency or its enablers try to make them believe.”

Message to Officers

“Perseverance means continuing even when there’s no sign of success. Push through the obstacles, the intimidation, the retaliation. That’s how change happens.”