Chicago's newly-formed Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability on Thursday revealed their three finalists to be the next Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, with two of the finalists coming from within the department.
According to the CCPSA, the following individuals were nominated following a 120-day search process which included community meetings and involvement from a consulting group:
- Shon F. Barnes, Madison, Wis. Chief of Police
- Angel Novalez, CPD Chief of Constitutional Policing and Reform
- Larry Snelling, CPD Chief of Counterterrorism
The finalists represent the end of a search that began just days after Mayor Brandon Johnson was elected in early April. 54 individuals applied for the role, officials said.
The Chicago Police Department is currently being led by interim Superintendent Fred Waller, who was appointed May 15. Waller spent 34 years at the department before joining a parade of top brass to leave during the turbulent tenure of now-departed Supt. David Brown.
Mayor Johnson now has 30 days to select a new superintendent from the three finalists from the committee's provided list, or requesting a new list altogether.
Below is some more information on the three finalists:
Local
Chief Shon Barnes
Barnes is a 23-year veteran of law enforcement with experience in Salisbury and Greensboro, both in North Carolina, before becoming the Chief of Police in Madison. Barnes began his career as a patrol officer in Greensboro in 2000, and served as the Deputy Chief of Police in Salisbury from 2017-2020. Additionally, Barnes served as the Director of Training and Professional Development for Chicago's Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
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Chief Angel Novalez
Novalez is a 23-year veteran of CPD, currently in charge of the department's reform, training and policy strategies. Previously, Novalez was the Deputy Chief of Community Policing from 2021-2022, and was the Commander of the Office of Community Policing from 2020-2021. Novalez has served as a police officer in numerous Chicago neighborhoods, and was previously a 5th District Sergeant.
Chief Larry Snelling
Snelling is a 28-year member of CPD, and has served as the department's Counterterrorism Chief since 2022. Snelling has previously served as Deputy Chief of Area 2, 7th District Commander, Sergeant of Training and Sergeant of Patrol. From 2001-2010, Snelling was an instructor for the department's training academy. Snelling was a lead trainer for field force training ahead of the 2012 Chicago NATO Summit.
Mayor Johnson released the following statement after the finalists were announced:
"The City has reached an important milestone in our search for a new superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. After diligent review and assessment, including deep community engagement, local and national searches, the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) has identified three finalists from a field of highly qualified candidates.
I want to express my gratitude to all those that applied, and commend the CCPSA for its dedicated work throughout this selection process. I am confident that Chicago’s next superintendent will inspire trust, foster collaboration, and lead with integrity.
Together we will continue to build a better, stronger, and safer Chicago.”
