Cook County sheriff’s officer dies after collapsing during run

A Cook County sheriff’s police officer from Crest Hill has died as a result of heart problems after collapsing during a run at the department’s training academy in Maywood, where he was an instructor, authorities said.

Officer Jason Gallero, 45, collapsed Thursday morning while participating in a run with the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Training Academy and was pronounced dead at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Gallero, with the department for 22 years, was an instructor at the training academy, according to the sheriff’s office. He began his career with the sheriff’s office’s Department of Corrections in 1994 before moving to the sheriff’s police in 2002.

Visitation for Gallero will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel, 7740 S. Western Ave., with a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Divine Providence Church, 2550 Mayfair Ave. The funeral arrangements are being handled by Blake-Lamb Funeral Home in Oak Lawn.