Here Are The 3 Finalists For Chicago’s Next Top Cop

CHICAGO — Chicago is one step closer to finding its next police superintendent after a city oversight commission selected three finalists — all police department veterans — to fill the vacancy left by former top cop Larry Snelling. The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability voted Thursday to name Antoinette Ursitti, Christopher Papaioannou and Angel Novalez as finalists for the police department’s top job. Ursitti is First Deputy Superintendent, the department’s second highest-ranking role, which she was promoted to by former superintendent Snelling in June. Novalez is the department’s Chief of Community Policing, and Papaioannu is the Chief of Counterterrorism for Chicago police. If Ursitti is chosen, she would become the first woman to ever lead the Chicago Police Department. “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 hold the department accountable,” said Remel Terry, president of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, during a press conference after the meeting. “We also wanted to understand how they can strengthen community policing efforts and make sure Chicagoans feel both safe and respected in their interactions with police Because at the end of the day, the decisions made by the next superintendent will shape how the department operates, how officers do their jobs and how Chicagoans experience public safety in their neighborhoods.” Here’s more about the three finalists: Antoinette Ursitti Ursitti is a 26-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department. Before her current role, she served three years as Chief of Detectives, where she spearheaded efforts to strengthen criminal investigations and victim support services. Early in her career, she was appointed Deputy Chief of Training and Support Group, where her work focused on officer wellness and mental health along with crisis response, according to the department. Christopher Papaioannou Papaioannou, a Chicago native and member of the department for 27 years, was promoted to his current role leading the Bureau of Counterterrorism in April.Before that, he worked as the bureau’s deputy chief and has experience coordinating public safety operations during his time as Deputy Incident Commander at the 2024 Democratic National Convention . In 2021, Papaioannou was suspended for seven days after the Civilian Office of Police Accountability found that he failed to report an incident involving use of force during 2020 unrest following the death of George Floyd, according to the Chicago Tribune . Angel Novalez Novalez, a police officer from Puerto Rico who joined the department 26 years ago, was also selected by the commission as a finalist in 2023 . His current role as Chief of Community Policing oversees how the department handles consent decree requirements and strengthens relationships between police and residents. Previously, Novalez was Chief of Constitutional Policing and Reform for two years and before that, he was the Deputy Chief of Community Policing. The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability was created in 2021 after a city ordinance passed to increase civilian oversight of the police department. This is the body’s second superintendent search. Forty-six candidates applied for the job this year, commissioners said, down from 53 in 2023. The commission has held two rounds of interviews over the span of months along with eight public forums and several public listening sessions. During the meeting Thursday, all seven commissioners passed unanimous votes for Novalez and Ursitti. The only “no” vote came from commissioner Angelique Guzman, who said she disagreed with Papaioannou’s nomination. After the press conference, Guzman told reporters that she did not think Papaioannou was the right choice for superintendent “given the current times” and “things we have to get through under the federal administration.” Under a city ordinance, the commission has 120 days to decide on three finalists after a superintendent retires. Snelling announced his retirement in July after nearly three years on the job and 34 years with the police department. Mayor Brandon Johnson now has a 30-day window to nominate one of the candidates, who would need City Council approval to accept the top job, or he can choose to reject the entire list. If the list is rejected, Johnson is required to provide the commission with a written explanation and request another search for superintendent. ______________________________________________________________________ Support Local News! Subscribe to Block Club Chicago , an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. 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