Chicago Residents Share Priorities for Next Police Superintendent

Two months have passed since the retirement of former police Superintendent Larry Snelling, and Chicago residents have expressed their expectations for the next leader of the Chicago Police Department (CPD). The community’s desires are extensive. ‘If there’s something happening in my community, even minor issues like roaming dogs, we don’t call animal control—we call the police,’ said Sharon Pincham, president of the West Chesterfield Community Association, at a recent public meeting. ‘The police are who we ask to respond first and assess the situation. When I have a problem, I don’t call a social worker.’

The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) has held five listening sessions across the city to gather feedback on the qualities residents want in the next superintendent. This feedback is intended to aid in formulating interview questions for candidates advancing in the selection process.

‘Chicago deserves a superintendent who understands our city’s progress and is prepared to build upon it,’ CCPSA President Remel Terry stated recently. ‘We expect a leader ready to move the department forward.’

The listening sessions revealed residents’ concerns, including calls for improved police officer training, adherence to the consent decree, and scrutiny of the CPD’s relationship with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Some urged the next leader to have local roots, as Snelling did.

Outside DePaul College Prep, Noelle Clennon of Indivisible Lincoln Square emphasized her desires for the next superintendent: ‘I want a commitment to prioritize safety over solidarity with other law enforcement.’

Snelling retired on July 15, and the CCPSA must submit three job finalists to Mayor Brandon Johnson within 120 days. During the last superintendent search in 2023, the CCPSA received 54 applications and conducted 16 interviews.

Shortly after Snelling’s retirement, bureaucratic issues surfaced within the CCPSA. Former President Anthony Driver Jr. requested ordinance amendments to extend the search timeline, a motion that didn’t gain traction.

Following Snelling’s departure, Mayor Brandon Johnson appointed Fred Waller as interim superintendent. Waller, a former CPD chief of patrol, remains in charge as the selection process unfolds.

A small rally, organized by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, preceded the CCPSA’s Aug. 27 meeting. Protesters demanded changes to bylaws that would allow Commissioner Sandra Wortham’s removal from a working group. Jasmine Smith, CAARPR co-chair, accused Wortham of not representing the community, stating, ‘Commissioner Wortham does not represent the community.’

Activists claimed Terry protected Wortham from facing demands to end CPD brutality against Black and Brown residents. During the meeting, efforts to amend bylaws aimed at removing Wortham were criticized as attempts to stifle debate.

The Aug. 27 meeting at Morgan Park High School unveiled generational divides among attendees. Younger participants focused on police oversight and training, while older attendees were concerned about reassignment of seasoned officers from majority-Black districts. Discussion occasionally turned contentious, with participants trading jeers.

The next CPD superintendent will face challenges, including dealing with increased federal immigration agent presence and maintaining the consent decree. Although Chicago saw decreased violence for years, statistics show varied trends by neighborhood. Alderman Raymond Lopez emphasized targeting violence sources, proposing initiatives to address gang and drug activity.