Latino Caucus ‘Insulted’ By Finalist Pool For Chicago’s Top Cop

By Lauren Chooljian
Three aldermen in Chicago City Council’s Latino Caucus call for Mayor Rahm Emanuel to throw out the three nominations for police superintendent. Chairing Ald. George Cardenas said the caucus is upset with the lack of Latinos in the list of finalists.
Three aldermen in Chicago City Council’s Latino Caucus call for Mayor Rahm Emanuel to throw out the three nominations for police superintendent. Chairing Ald. George Cardenas said the caucus is upset with the lack of Latinos in the list of finalists. Lauren Chooljian / WBEZ
Three aldermen in Chicago City Council’s Latino Caucus call for Mayor Rahm Emanuel to throw out the three nominations for police superintendent. Chairing Ald. George Cardenas said the caucus is upset with the lack of Latinos in the list of finalists.
Three aldermen in Chicago City Council’s Latino Caucus call for Mayor Rahm Emanuel to throw out the three nominations for police superintendent. Chairing Ald. George Cardenas said the caucus is upset with the lack of Latinos in the list of finalists. Lauren Chooljian / WBEZ

Latino Caucus ‘Insulted’ By Finalist Pool For Chicago’s Top Cop

By Lauren Chooljian
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Members of the Chicago City Council’s Latino Caucus say they’re insulted that there are no Hispanic finalists to be the next police superintendent.

The city’s police board has selected three finalists for the mayor to choose from: Two African American men and one white woman. The Latino Caucus said Friday they think Interim Superintendent John Escalante deserves to be on that list, and they’re also upset that none of the finalists are Latino.

“Why aren’t you calling for his resignation right now? Why isn’t that the big outcry if he’s not doing the job,” Ald. George Cardenas said. “So that to me questions the whole process. If it’s not good enough right now, why was it good enough three months ago?”

Escalante was appointed to serve as interim police chief after Mayor Rahm Emanuel fired former Superintendent Garry McCarthy in the wake of the release of the video that shows a police officer shooting Laquan McDonald 16 times.

Cardenas said he believes Escalante’s leadership is important for continuity, especially during a time when the city is dealing with a rise in homicides. He and his colleagues in the caucus are calling for Emanuel to reject the recommendations and start all over again.

Lauren Chooljian covers city politics for WBEZ. Follow her @laurenchooljian.