Waller just sandbagged Brandon Johnson
The "appointment" precedent needs to be eliminated
As a new mayor, Brandon Johnson needs all of the internal support he can get. However, in the last week he received anything but. It started with the outgoing interim Chicago Police Department Superintendent Fred Waller restructuring some of the department’s command staff.
Later, we found the mayor’s staunchest and most powerful ally, Chicago Teachers Union President, Stacy Davis-Gates fessing up she sends one of her three children to a South Side private school, despite being a firm opponent school of choice programs that give private schools tax benefits.
Johnson himself, added to the dizzying news associated with city hall, when he told two writers from the Chicago Reader, he felt he was under attack because of his race. Johnson justified his comments saying he is being “held to a different standard.”
His governmental armor was apparently deeply pierced as he went to great lengths to push back against those who have said his administration is off to a slow start. Johnson managed to mangle that criticism into being a judgment associated with Black people and not being intellectually keen.
He is quoted in a Chicago Tribune article “You all read the press. I don’t. But you all look at these dynamics. You know how there’s a certain, particular coverage of me, being slow right? Think about it.” He continued, ‘These are microaggressions, that if you don’t have the lens of those who have lived through these experiences, you would just miss it.
“You would because the same-some of the folks who would call me slow,do you understand what the term means? Particularly (toward) the Black community. So you have these forces that perpetuate a particular view of Blackness.”
Johnson ignored the context of most news stories that labeled him slow. The reference was the lack of speed he has made appointments or filled vacancies. The mayor provided no concrete evidence of anyone in the news media questioning his mental prowess in their stories. Using the so-called “race card” this early in his first term undoubtedly will translate into him appearing to be a victim instead of a leader.
Failing to cite a specific instance that ties his connection to being called slow and Black Chicagoans will do more than ruffle a few media feathers-particularly among those who have covered race and politics in this city for several years, if not decades. Johnson made a major gaffe by painting everyone with the same brush. There is the real possibility it could tilt coverage in an unfavorable way, in some instances toward the mayor.
Waller’s move undermines CPD
There is not much logic to why outgoing interim CPD Superintendent Fred Waller would move 23 people around in the department as he is on his way out. When Johnson brought Waller in from a two-year retirement stint, Waller was clear he didn’t want and would not seek the job on a permanent basis
Waller’s moves included anointing three new commanders, and 20 other department members. Despite all the platitudes Waller tossed around in discussing the 23 changes, Waller’s actions smells of cronyism of the highest level and he wanted to make certain before he left, several members would be guaranteed an increase in their pensions.
The pension for CPD personnel is based on the average salary over the last five years. The promotions of course raise those individual’s salaries. Even if any of them elected to leave tomorrow, this latest salary increase would be factored into the pension. Waller spoke of how closely he had worked with some of the people who were promoted so his promotional steps amount to a friend helping a friend, and not necessarily putting the best cop in these jobs.
Some may argue that every interim superintendent brought in since the firing of Eddie Johnson in late 2020 did the same thing. This is a past precedent that doesn’t justify Waller’s actions- especially given that he knew the Chicago City Council was just about a month away from voting on Snelling’s nomination. And every indication is he will be confirmed.
Top left - Fred Waller Top right-Charlie Beck Lower left-David Brown Lower right-Eric Carter
Three of the four men who have served as superintendent or interim superintendent since October 2020 have made changes to the command staff. The exception was long-time CPD commander Eric Carter. Beck did so even though it was made clear he was working on a six-month contract. Brown was given the job as the permanent superintendent. His changes came despite having spent his entire police career in Dallas,Texas.
Mayor Brandon Johnson has no clear say in Waller’s move, although he has named Snelling as the next superintendent. Snelling is waiting for the Chicago City Council to conduct confirmation hearings before assuming the job. The mayor undoubtedly knows that Waller’s action essentially move the goal posts for the City of Chicago, particularly CPD being able to put a Federal consent decree behind it.
According to the Chicago Police Department’s website, the consent decree involves reforms in the areas of:
Community policing
Impartial policing
Crisis intervention
Use of force
Recruitment, hiring and promotion
Training
Supervision
Officer Wellness and Support
Accountability and Transparency
Data Collection, Analysis and Management
The consent decree also sets out timelines for implementation of the reforms and details about monitoring and enforcement. The department has been under the decree since late 2017. Subsequent reviews have deemed progress incremental.
Will revelation tarnish Davis-Gates?
The fact that Davis-Gates advocates for one thing and does the opposite is not likely to have any residual effects. It got elevated to a news story because of her union’s connection to Johnson.
By Chicago scandal standards, this one resembles something much closer to T-ball than the major leagues. It ranks so low because no money exchanged hands or undeserving people were not put into top government jobs.
Of course, Johnson will be called upon periodically to say whether he and Davis-Gates are stil chummy., as she also has been seen as one of this key advisors. Given the thousands of workers CTU deployed on the mayor’s behalg and the millions dumped into his campaign, we can predict the answer is chummy as ever.