Three finalists for Chicago’s police superintendent position await Brandon Johnson’s decision.

Three Finalists Selected for Chicago’s Next Police Superintendent

Three finalists have been chosen by a Chicago public safety commission for the city’s next police superintendent, and now the decision rests in the hands of Mayor Brandon Johnson. The mayor has a 30-day window to make his decision, either narrowing down the three finalists to his top pick or requesting three more options from the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability. Once the mayor’s top candidate is chosen, they will be presented to the Chicago City Council, which then has 60 days to confirm the mayor’s choice.

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The selected candidate will replace interim Superintendent Fred Waller, a 34-year veteran chief of the Chicago Police Department. Commission President Anthony Driver expressed his confidence in the three finalists, stating, “These are three stellar candidates, three exceptional candidates, three candidates that we released a report today that detailed our process that knocked every question out of the park. Questions directly from the community. Questions from sworn rank and file police officers.”

Here are the three finalists who emerged from a pool of 53 candidates:

1. Shon Barnes

Shon Barnes is the only non-Chicago Police Department candidate among the finalists. With 23 years of experience as a police officer and executive, Barnes currently serves as the police chief of Madison, Wisconsin. He has previously worked in Chicago as the director of training and development at the Civilian Office of Police Accountability and is a member of the University of Chicago Police Leadership Academy Committee. Barnes is renowned for his expertise in crime reduction, community-based and problem-oriented policing strategies, and community-police relations.

2. Angel Novalez

Angel Novalez is currently the chief of the Office of Constitutional Policing & Reform, responsible for enforcing a federal consent decree addressing civil rights violations and use-of-force tactics. Novalez’s office has been under scrutiny as data shows that the Chicago Police Department is in “full compliance” with less than 5% of its consent decree requirements. Novalez played a crucial role in leading community policing after the death of George Floyd and testified before Congress on the impact of gun violence on Chicago police officers.

3. Larry Snelling

Larry Snelling serves as the chief of counterterrorism and previously worked as the deputy chief of Area 2, primarily handling gang and narcotics investigations. With over three decades of experience with the CPD, Snelling is an expert in constitutional policing and has contributed to the development of the city’s use-of-force training model. However, he has faced suspensions in the past related to use of force incidents.

Mayor Johnson emphasized the significance of this announcement in the search for Chicago’s next law enforcement leader, expressing his gratitude to all the applicants and commending the CCPSA for their dedicated work throughout the selection process. He stated, “I am confident that Chicago’s next superintendent will inspire trust, foster collaboration, and lead with integrity.”

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