On today’s show we discuss the new process for how a new superintendent (supt) for the Chicago Police Department gets selected. With the creation of the new Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability the process is slightly different from the last time a new supt was selected.
In years past the Chicago Police Board would select 3 candidates for the job of supt and send that list to the mayor. Legally it seemed the mayor was forced to either selected his/her pick from that list or return the entire list to the Board for the to select a new slate of candidates. Historically mayors have just ignored the Board’s selections and hired their own choice for supt. It seems like Mayor Lightfoot did choose from the list provided but it has been reported that the Board knew that the Mayor had a person in mind so they made sure to put that candidate on their short list.
Now the selection process for a new supt is run by the Commission. There certainly seems like there Is potential for real change. However, some recent comments by the Commission’s interim President Anthony Driver Jr have me a little worried about the potential for real change. Driver Jr was recently quoted talking about how rank and file officers didn’t feel that former Superintendent David Brown had their backs. Driver Jr serving as a megaphone for alt right rhetoric that comes straight from the alt right leadership of the Fraternal Order of Police is very concerning. Driver Jr seems to think that they are going to find some one for the position of supt that cannot unite the alt right of the department, with the residents of Chicago concerned about police misconduct, and policymakers in to a united front to fight crime and violence in Chicago. Obviously this is folly. The fact that his is coming from the person leading the organization that is selecting the candidates to be the next supt is very, very concerning.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:31 — 49.2MB) | Embed
