Overview
- The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability voted Thursday to forward Antoinette Ursitti, Angel Novalez and Christopher Papaioannou to Mayor Brandon Johnson as finalists for superintendent.
- All three finalists are long‑time Chicago Police Department leaders with more than 25 years of service and senior operational roles in investigations, community policing and counterterrorism.
- If the mayor chooses Ursitti and the City Council confirms her, she would be the first woman to lead the Chicago Police Department.
- The commission ran a four‑month, nationwide search that drew 46 applicants and used public listening sessions and a $200,000 contract with Ralph Andersen & Associates to center priorities such as cutting violent crime, rebuilding trust and improving officer wellness.
- Political and union figures warned the pick is sensitive during the mayoral campaign, critics noted the finalists include no outsiders or Black candidates, and the choice could prompt leadership shifts if a new mayor takes office next year.