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Police Board Makes Recommendations but Rahm Picks Next Top Cop

By Ted Cox | December 1, 2015 5:13pm
 Mayor Rahm Emanuel figures to make the final decision on the next police chief.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel figures to make the final decision on the next police chief.
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DNAinfo/Ted Cox

CITY HALL — The mayor threw the initial stages of finding a replacement for Supt. Garry McCarthy to the Police Board Tuesday, as called for by city statute.

Yet no one doubts that Mayor Rahm Emanuel will make the final decision on the next police chief.

In announcing McCarthy's removal Tuesday, Emanuel said his top deputy, John Escalante, would act as interim superintendent "until the Police Board has conducted a thorough search."

The Police Board is considered an independent civilian organization overseeing the department. It is specifically charged with "nominating candidates for the position of superintendent of police to the mayor."

Lori LIghtfoot, president of the Police Board, figures to have her hands full over the next few months. She is also a member of the new Task Force on Police Accountability that the mayor announced Tuesday.

 Al Wysinger (l.) is being put forth by aldermen as a possible replacement for former Supt. Garry McCarthy.
Al Wysinger (l.) is being put forth by aldermen as a possible replacement for former Supt. Garry McCarthy.
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DNAinfo/Ted Cox

"The Police Board makes a series of recommendations," Emanuel said. Yet he proceeded to lay out his own specifications for the hire.

"I'm not looking for a type," Emanuel said. "I'm looking for a professional who can lead the department and make sure they have a robust record of getting results in public safety."

Emanuel said he expected a "commitment to professionalism ... not only to lead the department, but lead the changes in the department to get the results we want."

He said the duties would involve "changing the culture, putting in place the building blocks to restore the confidence and trust we want to see in the City of Chicago," and "invigorating" the rank and file.

In the meantime, the City Council's Latino Caucus immediately endorsed Escalante, issuing a statement saying, "We look forward to working with Interim Supt. Escalante on bringing a new era to Chicago" and calling his appointment "a positive and meaningful step towards healing." The caucus planned a joint Committee on Public Safety and Committee on Human Relations hearing Dec. 15 "to thoroughly examine the issues at hand as well as solutions to move the city forward."

Local leaders weighed in asking that someone familiar with the department's problems be selected. "I am happy that Supt. McCarthy tendered his resignation today," responded Bishop Larry D. Trotter, senior pastor of the Sweet Holy Spirit Church of Chicago. "I would hope that a local individual, preferably an African-American who understands the minority community, would be selected."

Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed, who broke the McCarthy firing, mentioned three possible in-house replacements: Escalante, Deputy Police Chief Eric Washington and Deputy Police Chief Eugene Williams, head of the department’s Bureau of Support Services.

Yet on Tuesday other aldermen also mentioned top McCarthy deputy Al Wysinger, an African American who retired earlier this year.

Regardless, the final decision figures to belong to Emanuel.

McCarthy liked to tell the story of interviewing for the superintendent position with Emanuel in April 2011 at a hotel near O'Hare International Airport. He said when he walked through the door Emanuel greeted him by saying, "Dude, you're right out of central casting."

Shortly after that, Emanuel named him his first police chief.

 

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