Chicago, IL – On Thursday evening, November 12, at Malcolm X College in the West Side, the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) held its monthly public meeting to announce and vote on sending three nominees for police superintendent to the mayor’s office.
Sandra Worthman, a member of the commission and part of the committee to search for the new superintendent, announced the three names who a majority of the commission had agreed upon: Christopher Papaioannou, Angel Novalez and Antoinette Ursitti.
When it came time to vote, everyone in the commission voted yes to send the three nominees, except for Commissioner Angelique Guzman. After the vote, she picked up the mic and voiced her disapproval of the nominees, specifically highlighting Papaioannou.
Her disapproval for Papaioannou comes from his horrible track record as a police officer. He has cost the city of Chicago $130,000 for his use of excessive force against Chicagoans, and participated in the brutal crackdown on protesters during the 2020 George Floyd Uprising. His selection as police superintendent would set back the movement for police accountability.
During public comment, members of the community, including those of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR), spoke to what people were demanding of the next superintendent.
Kayla Nguyen of CAARPR stated, “The next superintendent should understand that public safety includes immigrant families, and people exercising their right to protest.” Nguyen continued, “We have seen with Larry Snelling a distinct unwillingness to engage with the community, and to penalize Chicagoans for this. How do your candidates stack up to these issues? You should recognize finalists who will recognize these issues and commit to solving them out loud and are willing to engage in dialogue with the community they are charged with protecting and serving.”
Carly Bryant of CAARPR stated, “Last year, Chicago saw the fewest homicides since 1965 and nearly 30% fewer incidents than in 2024. This decrease in crime has come alongside the investments Mayor Johnson and his administration have made in community safety. CARE teams send trained responders to mental health calls instead of armed officers, and youth employment programs give young people a paycheck and somewhere to be.”
Bryant continued, “As you review CPD’s budget and choose the next superintendent, I’m asking you to protect and expand these programs, and choose a leader who sees them as partners, not competitors.”
#ChicagoIL #IL #InJusticeSystem #CAARPR #NAARPR #CCPSA
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