Finalists for Chicago's next top cop are all CPD insiders
Three high-ranking Chicago police officials were picked as finalists to replace former superintendent Larry Snelling, including a candidate who, if selected, would be the first woman to ever lead the department.
First Deputy Supt. Antoinette Ursitti, Chief of Community Policing Angel Novalez and Counterterrorism Chief Christopher Papaioannou were the choices of the commission tasked with conducting a nationwide search for the city’s new top cop.
The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability voted Thursday evening to send the names to Mayor Brandon Johnson, starting a 30-day clock for him to make a pick or reject all three candidates and request a second search.
The city paid national search firm Ralph Andersen & Associates $200,000 to assist the commission. The search drew 46 candidates, down slightly from the 2023 cycle when 53 people applied for the job.
The applicants included current and former members of the Chicago Police Department, along with law enforcement officials from across the country
“These three candidates offer unique backgrounds with varied, impactful experiences throughout the Chicago Police Department,” commissioner Sandra Wortham said in a statement.
“All three have spent years in leadership roles within the Department, with experiences ranging from patrol operations and the apprehension of violent offenders to criminal investigations, community policing, large-scale Department operations, and reform efforts. They each bring unique and impressive qualifications that have prepared them to lead the Chicago Police Department.”
Antoinette Ursitti
Ursitti, a 26-year veteran of the police department, would become the first woman to serve as superintendent.
Snelling promoted Ursitti to the department’s second-in-command just days before announcing his retirement this summer. Before that, she spent three years as chief of detectives, overseeing a rise in clearance rates.
She stands out among her peers for having returned to school not just to earn a masters degree but also a doctorate decree. She is also a licensed counselor in Illinois.
In announcing her promotion to first deputy superintendent, the police department described her as “a purpose-driven leader who prioritizes the well-being of her fellow CPD members and the people of Chicago.”
Ursitti shined during recent city council budget hearings with her command of facts and broad-based knowledge of all levels of police operations.
Angel Novalez
Novalez was also widely expected to make the list of finalists as he did during the last search cycle.
The 27-year-old veteran's current work focuses on strengthening relationships between police and residents and expanding community partnerships.
He previously served as chief of constitutional policing and reform, charged with creating and implementing policies to meet the demands of a federal consent decree put in place in response to the police killing of Laquan McDonald.
During his tenure, the department bolstered its compliance with consent decree requirements.
Novalez told reporters in November 2024 that the progress had been vital to changing the department’s culture.“I know that sometimes folks hear a certain level of compliance in five years, and they may not see that as significant effort,” Novalez told reporters last week.
“But when you think of that five years, you think about … identifying the personnel to build the infrastructure so that we can move this forward,” he added. “Not only identifying the right people, identifying the right processes, the ability to capture information for every level of compliance.”
Christopher Papaioannou
A less familiar face, Papaioannou was promoted to chief of counterterrorism this spring, after serving as deputy chief for two years.
Papaioannou has experience coordinating public safety operations for major events and was described as a behind the scene force in ensuring a successful Democratic National Convention in 2024.
A 27-year-old veteran of the department, Papaioannou is a first-generation Greek American and lifelong Chicago resident, according to a presentation given when he received the 2021 Law Enforcement Official of the Year Award from the Illinois Security Professionals Association.
Politics cloud Johnson’s pick
This year’s finalists include no outsiders or African American candidates, unlike years prior.
Snelling, who is Black, leaves big shoes to fill. Mayor Johnson lauded him as a “son of Englewood” when announcing his appointment in 2023.
He led the department for less than three mostly controversy-free years.
During his tenure, murders fell to historic lows and the Democratic National Convention largely went off without a hitch. Snelling also had to navigate the unprecedented deployment of federal agents across Chicago during Operation Midway Blitz.
Now, Johnson must select his successor while facing a reelection.
Ald. Matt O’Shea (19th), whose Southwest Side ward is home to scores of Chicago cops, was among a handful of City Council members who tried and failed to postpone the search for a new police superintendent until after the mayoral election.
O’Shea feared that the political uncertainty would discourage the most qualified candidates from Chicago and beyond from applying for the job.
But O’Shea said the fact that Ursitti is among the three finalists proves that “maybe I was wrong.”
“I am a big fan of Antoinette Ursitti. If you look at her clearance rates, the job that she did as chief of detectives was nothing short of remarkable,” O’Shea said.
“She’s a strong leader. She understands how important it is that we continue to invest in technology to support the work the men and women do in the Chicago Police Department. …. I would run her up against anybody as far as being a law enforcement leader. She would be a great selection.”
Snelling succeeded David Brown, the former Dallas police chief, an outsider who was never accepted by rank-and-file Chicago cops. Police morale plummeted.
“Larry Snelling came in and told the men and women, ‘I’ve got your back.’ He held them accountable, but he made it clear, ‘I’ve got your back if you’re doing your job.’ Antoinette Ursitti will continue with that,” O’Shea said.
Northwest Side Ald. Nick Sposato (38th), another one of the police union’s staunchest City Council supporters, said Ursitti has to be considered the frontrunner in the top cop sweepstakes.
“First woman. First deputy. She’s a good gal. I’d be very pleased if she’s the choice,” Sposato said.
“I don’t know how she’s done as first deputy. But she’s done a great job throughout her career. She’s not flashy. But she’s well-spoken, well-liked and well-respected. And for a woman to be respected in a man’s world, that says a lot about the woman.”
Like O’Shea, Sposato was pleasantly surprised that top candidates like Ursitti applied for a job that could be temporary, depending on who wins the race for mayor.
“Why does anybody want this job? I don’t know if they figure the uncertainty of what’s going on with the election. Do they really want to take this on? Who knows who the next mayor is gonna be?” Sposato said.
“I find it hard to believe that the next mayor would bounce the superintendent — no matter who it is. I find that very difficult to believe. I certainly think they’ll say, ‘At least let them prove themselves for another year’ or something like that.”
John Catanzara, the fiery president of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, predicted that Johnson’s latest pick for superintendent won’t be around for long. He said he has “very little doubt that there will be a new mayor and a new superintendent come spring.”
“I highly doubt a new mayor is going to leave someone in place that they did not pick themselves,” Catanzara said.
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