CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Police Superintendent announced Wednesday that he will step down in two weeks, seven months before he turns 63, the mandatory retirement age for Chicago police officers.
Superintendent David Brown made the announcement the day after the Chicago mayoral primary, in which crime was a central issue in the nation’s third-largest city.
“I have accepted a job to become Chief Operating Officer of Loncar Lyon Jenkins, a personal injury law firm with seven offices in Texas,” said Brown’s announcement. “I will step down as Chicago Police Superintendent effective March 16, 2023 so that the new mayor can begin the process of hiring the next Superintendent as soon as possible.”
“It has been an honor and privilege to work with the brave men and women of the Chicago Police Department,” the announcement read. “I will continue to pray that all officers return safely to their families at the end of their shifts. May the Good God bless the city of Chicago and the men and women who serve and protect this great city.”
Brown will be 63 on October 22.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who did not advance to the second round of next month’s mayoral election, released a statement praising Brown for recording a record number of illegal gun receipts for two consecutive years, leading to a double-digit reduction in violent crime by 2022. “a significant expansion of resources for the welfare of officers; and promoting more women to the senior exempt ranks than at any time in the department’s history.
“I would like to personally thank him for his service to our city,” Lightfoot’s statement read.
Lightfoot appointed Brown, a former Dallas police chief, as Chicago police superintendent on April 2, 2020.
First Deputy Eric Carter will be appointed as interim superintendent until a new mayor is sworn in, Lightfoot said.
Public safety dominated the mayoral election, in which Lightfoot lost her bid for a second term. All eight of Lightfoot’s rivals said they would fire Brown and replace him with someone else. That included the two candidates who advanced to the April 4 runoff round, Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson.
Lightfoot has defended Brown saying the city needed an outsider to run the department after years of trouble and a federal consent decree directing CPD to make changes. She also argued that after crime peaked during the pandemic, the city was making progress in reducing homicides and some other crimes. Her rivals said it wasn’t enough.
