Chicago Police Chief and US Attorney resign after Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses re-election

CHICAGO — The Chief of the Chicago Police Department and the US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois announced their resignations Wednesday, hours after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her bid for re-election.

Chicago Police Department Superintendent David Brown is resigning effective March 16, Lightfoot said in a statement.

John Lausch, Jr., chief of the US Attorney’s Office in Chicago, is resigning effective March 11, his office said in a statement.

News of the departures comes after Lightfoot failed to secure enough votes in Tuesday’s mayoral election to advance to an April runoff. None of the nine candidates won the majority in the officially bipartisan election.

Paul Vallas, 69, the former chief of the Chicago Public Schools, and Brandon Johnson, 46, a member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, emerged as the top two voters. Vallas, who claimed the largest share of the vote with 34%, had said he would fire Brown if he were elected mayor.

Here’s what you should know.

Chicago Police Department Superintendent David Brown is resigning

Brown informed Lightfoot of the decision on Wednesday, Lightfoot said. He took over as head of the second largest city police department in the country in April 2020, overseeing the agency amid rising crime at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and protests following the killing of George Floyd.

First deputy Eric Carter will be appointed interim superintendent until the new mayor is sworn in, Lightfoot said. She urged the city’s newly formed civilian police oversight agency — the Community Commission on Public Safety and Accountability — to begin searching for a new superintendent immediately.

In a statement, Lightfoot Brown applauded for setting a record number of illegal gun confiscations over two years and achieving a double-digit reduction in violent crime in 2022 and building a full-time recruiting team that has produced over 950 new hires and expanded resources for officer health and promotions of more women in higher ranks.

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“I want to personally thank him for his service to our city,” Lightfoot said.

In a statement, Brown said he has accepted a position as chief operating officer of Loncar Lyon Jenkins, a personal injury law firm with seven offices in Texas. He said he was stepping down “so that the new mayor can begin the process of hiring the next superintendent as soon as possible.”

“It has been an honor and a privilege to work with the brave men and women of the Chicago Police Department,” Brown said. “I will continue to pray that all officers return safely to their families at the end of their shift. May the Lord bless the city of Chicago and the men and women who serve and protect this great city.”

The Chicago Police Department has about 12,000 sworn officers and has long been plagued by scandals. A 2017 Department of Justice report found that the CPD is plagued by widespread racial prejudice, excessive use of force, poor training and ruthless surveillance of officers accused of misconduct.

The department and city have been subject to a federal assent decree since 2019, a court-approved settlement that requires the department to reform education, policies and practices in a number of areas.

John Lausch, US Attorney in Chicago, resigns

Lausch announced his departure shortly after news of Brown’s resignation late Wednesday. He has served in this capacity since late 2017 when he was appointed by President Donald Trump.

Lausch led the office during the COVID-19 pandemic and oversaw several extortion prosecutions against members of organized criminal street gangs and gang factions, as well as illegal gunmen. His office also established a Gun Crimes Prosecution Team and a Gun Trafficking Strike Force.

“It was the privilege of my life to lead the US Attorney’s Office in Chicago,” said Lausch.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Morris “Sonny” Pasqual will assume the position on an alternate basis, the office said in a statement.

What the Chicago mayoral candidates are saying

In a statement, mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson said, “The next superintendent of the Chicago Police Department must be as fully committed to the health and safety of all Chicagoans as I am and promptly comply with all requirements of the federal Consent Decree while addressing the causes of the.” Crime.”

“As mayor, I will prefer to appoint someone from the current ranks of the ministry, but the most important thing is to appoint the right person for the job – someone who is cooperative, competent, compassionate and who genuinely cares about to protect and serve the people of our city,” Johnson said.

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Featuring: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chicago Police Chief David Brown resigns March 16