As public safety remains first and foremost on the minds of residents across Chicago, Tuesday will mark the first of four planned town halls to gather community input on the search for the next superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.
“Uniting this city is top of mind, and everyone gets to participate in that process to unite this city,” Mayor-Elect Brandon Johnson told NBC 5 Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern last week in his first sit-down interview following his win in the Chicago Mayoral Runoff Election.
Chicago's former police superintendent David Brown, who was appointed in 2020 by Lori Lightfoot, announced he was stepping down earlier this year. Last month, first Deputy Eric Carter was appointed as interim superintendent and will remain so until Johnson is sworn in.
MORE: Chicago's Interim Top Cop Recommends Firing of Officer Who Shot and Killed Adam Toledo
How the Process Works
Brown, who had served as superintendent since 2020, officially resigned from his post March 16, and the newly-formed Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability is tasked with conducting a nationwide search for his successor.
“We need a superintendent who can inspire and lead. And who can bring people together, who can foster healing and who can try to move now towards a brighter and more just future for all Chicagoans,” Anthony Driver Jr., the commission’s interim president, told reporters in March. “The safety of our communities depend on it.”
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Ultimately, Johnson will make the final decision. But candidates' names will emerge after the CCPSA vets them. First, though, those interested in the job must submit an application.
The application was posted this past Friday and is available online.
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During the search, the commission will hold at least four public meetings across the city while also engaging officers, policing experts and community and advocacy groups. The first is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday on the west side, in Chicago's Austin neighborhood at the Kehrein Center for the Arts, located at 5628 W. Washington Blvd.
How Long Will The Process Take?
Following Brown's departure, the commission has 120 days to put forth its recommendations to Johnson, who could reject the picks and ask for another list of three, a report from the Chicago Sun-Times says.
“We’ve been researching folks who have had success and what they’ve done in those cities,” Driver said. “And [the commission is] looking at if there’s a way to replicate that and/or make it better in Chicago.”
Who's on the Short List?
Possible names for Chicago's next cop have emerged from within the department, including recently retired Chief Ernest Cato, Chief Angel Novalez, Chief Larry Snelling or perhaps a civilian administrator.
Other local names, but outside of CPD, are Leo Schmitz, Chief of the Cook County Sheriff's Office and Jose Tirado with Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
It is unclear if interim CPD superintendent Eric Carter is interested in keeping the position.
Driver said his team is looking for a leader who has experience working under a federal consent decree mandating sweeping police reforms. The CPD’s consent decree was enacted in 2019 in the wake of a federal probe of the police killing of teenager Laquan McDonald.
MORE: 3 Former Chicago Police Superintendents Talk City Violence, Crime
But Driver said the commission is also looking for someone who can garner support from sworn officers of all ranks — something Brown was never able to do. Driver said that was a glaring issue when he recently joined officers on a ride-along.
“I think it was pretty clear that a lot of them felt that the superintendent at the time didn’t have their backs, and it’s not somebody who actually cared about them,” he said. “Our officers are part of our community too. They live in the city of Chicago, so their input is also valuable.
“We’re looking for somebody who can get buy-in from the residents, buy-in from the department rank-and-file and buy-in from the brass and the administration,” Driver said. "Somebody who can collaborate and bring everybody together.”
What Mayor-Election Brandon Johnson Has Said
During his campaign, Johnson said he intended to replace Brown upon taking office, and would aim to replace Brown with a candidate from within the department.
“As mayor, my preference will be to appoint someone from within the current ranks of the department, but most important is appointing the right person for the job – someone who is collaborative, competent and compassionate, and who truly cares about protecting and serving the people of our city,” Johnson said.
Public safety was the biggest issue on the minds of voters in the election. And though Johnson did not receive the backing of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, he says he still intends to promote more detectives within the department, and to establish a collaborative relationship with police officers and other emergency workers.
“Our plan is to bring people together. I’ve said that repeatedly, that there’s more than enough for everyone in the city of Chicago, and so these conversations that we’re going to have throughout the week and in the coming days, it’s going to be centered around ‘how do we continue to collaborate to build a better, stronger, safer Chicago,’” he said.
