3 CPD members named finalists for Chicago police superintendent

3 finalists named for Chicago police superintendent, all from within CPD Three current Chicago Police Department leaders — First Deputy Supt. Antoinette Ursitti, Chief Angel Novalez and Chief Chris Papaioannou — were selected as finalists for superintendent following a vote Thursday night.

The Details

The Brief

All three finalists for Chicago police superintendent currently work for the department.

The commission said it received 46 applications and held eight listening sessions before interviewing candidates.

Mayor Brandon Johnson has 30 days to choose a finalist or reject all three and ask for a new slate.

Chicago’s search for its next police superintendent has narrowed to three members of the department.

The details

The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability selected Chief Angel Novalez, Chief Chris Papaioannou and First Deputy Superintendent Antoinette Ursitti as finalists.

Novalez leads the department’s Office of Community Policing and has served with CPD for 26 years. Papaioannou leads the Bureau of Counterterrorism and has been with the department for 27 years. Ursitti oversees the department’s day-to-day operations.

The commission received 46 applications from across the country. It also held eight listening sessions to hear what the public wants in a police leader, then used that feedback to shape its candidate interviews.

"We were looking beyond resumes and years of service. We wanted to know how these candidates would address violent crime, support and lead officers under their command, and make progress on the consent decree and hold the department accountable. We also wanted to understand how they would strengthen community policing efforts and make sure Chicagoans feel both safe and respected in their interactions with police," said Remel Terry, commission president.

What's next

Mayor Brandon Johnson has 30 days to choose one of the three finalists. If he rejects all three, the commission must submit three new names.

Once Johnson makes his selection, that person will go before the Chicago City Council for confirmation.

The backstory

The search began after Superintendent Larry Snelling announced his retirement in July, following 34 years with the department. His final day was July 15, and CPD veteran Fred Waller has served as interim superintendent after his departure.

Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling announces retirement

Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling announced his retirement Wednesday after 34 years of service in the department, the last two of which as the city's top cop.

Snelling said he had the privilege of leading CPD through the 2024 Democratic National Convention and a year in which shootings, homicides and violent crime declined. He credited department members for that work and said there was more to be done.

The Source

The information in this story came from the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability and previous FOX Chicago reporting.