Steven John Wilkos was born in March of 1964 in Chicago, Illinois to parents Stanley and Jeanette (née Pelikan). His father was a police officer who served in the Korean War, while his mother worked as a beauty school instructor.
Meanwhile, Wilkos has two sisters and one brother who all grew up in what is now the Roscoe Village neighborhood of North Center, Chicago.
As far as education goes, Wilkos graduated from Lane Technical High School in 1982. Then, he joined the United States Marine Corps and remained in for seven years, serving in countries like South Korea and Japan.
Afterward, Wilkos joined the Chicago Police Department and was stationed in his home city.
