Residents continue giving input on search for next CPD head in wake of Loop violence
CHICAGO (CBS) – Neighbors on the city's South Side had their chance on Wednesday night to voice what they'd like to see in the next Chicago police superintendent.
The public comment took place just days after a major safety concern downtown with unruly, violent crowds in the Loop. CBS 2's Charlie De Mar heard from those neighbors.
The hunt for who will be the boss at 35th and Michigan hit the South Side where residents had the opportunity to share their ideas on what they are looking for in the next police superintendent. This is the first time the community is leading the search and not the police board.
"We know that this is a historic moment," said Remel Terry, of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability.
Terry is among those responsible for helping select the next superintendent. Wednesday night saw the second of four community input meetings held.
"What we've heard is what everybody wants and that equity across Chicago whether I live in Lincoln Park or North Lawndale, we want to have the same level of safety," he said.
Residents shared their wishes for what they want in the next top cop.
"We should hire a superintendent from Chicago," said Flora Williams.
"The person that you select has to be a community person," said Gwendolyn Baxter. "It has to be someone who has passion for people."
Young members with the organization Brave Youth Leaders are calling on the next superintendent to provide opportunities for them. They pointed to the chaos that unfolded downtown last weekend when three teenagers were shot in two separate incidents where teen took over downtown.
Organization volunteers called for "realistic solutions" to the concerns brought about by the violence, including addressing mental health struggles among young people.
"We should all need to be concerned about our neighborhood," Williams said. "Parents need to be charged and penalized for their children's behavior."
Until Wednesday, Mayor-Elect Brandon Johnson had only responded to the weekend's mayhem through a written statement. On Wednesday, he defended his comment that the children involved shouldn't be demonized for their actions.
"Look, demonizing children is wrong," Johnson said. "We have to keep them safe as well.
"That's a false choice. You can make sure we eradicate the root causes that lead to violence and we can also make sure there's support on the front lines to make sure that we're preventing violence."
Again, the commission will bring the names of three candidates to Johnson by mid-July. If he selects one of them, it will then go to the City Council for confirmation, but if he rejects all three, the search beings all over again.
