Chicago City Wire

Newly elected Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has been outlining what he wants to see in a new police commissioner for the city.

“I want to make sure that law enforcement, of course, is at the table, the faith community, the business community and people impacted by violence,” Johnson said, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The civilian-led Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability is responsible for finding and selecting a list of candidates. Johnson will have little direct control over the search process for a new superintendent, but he wants someone who prioritizes public safety.

“So that there could be some real discussion of who can help lead and put together a public safety plan with the community that we can actually get behind,” Johnson said, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Johnson has not announced the names of any candidates, but he is on record explaining his expectations. The next superintendent should be a person who understands the city’s dynamics and has the trust of rank-and-file officers. He says community output will be a critical factor in his ultimate decision.

Commission members have also set standards. They shared the desire to break away from the pattern of past searches steered or sidestepped by previous mayors.

The group has until mid-July to submit three names to Johnson, who takes office in mid-May. He can choose one or reject all three, kicking off the search process anew.

Chicago is home to one of the largest police departments in the country, so there will be competition for the position.

The Chicago Police Board reported an average of 36 applicants for the job the last three times the position was available. In 2020, 25 applicants made their interest known.

Aside from the superintendent's promotion, there will be more opportunities available for Chicago police officers. 

During his run to replace Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Johnson vowed to quickly promote 200 officers to the Bureau of Detectives. The promotions will improve the department’s clearance rate by relieving officers tasked with murder investigations, nonfatal shootings and other violent crimes.