THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS NOW CLOSED

Please submit a completed application form, a current resume, and at least three letters of support from people familiar with your qualifications. Applicants may include with their application a written statement describing their experiences with policing and the criminal legal system that may have had an impact on their life and on their interest in serving on the Commission.

Learn more about the Commissioner application process at an upcoming webinar:

• Thursday, January 11, 6:00 pm
• Wednesday, January 17, 1:00 pm
• Saturday, January 27, 10:00 am

Please send all application materials to CommissionNomination@cityofchicago.org.

All materials must be submitted by Wednesday, February 7, 2024 at 12:00 pm. 

How are the Commissioners selected?

• The District Council Nominating Committee conducts the application process and submits at least two nominees for each vacant seat to the Mayor. For the 2024 nomination cycle, the Committee will submit at least 14 nominees for 7 open Commission seats.
• The Mayor appoints one candidate for each vacant seat from the list of nominees. If the Mayor declines to fill any of the vacancies with the list of nominees, the Nominating Committee must provide the Mayor with new nominees.
• Appointments are subject to approval by City Council. If City Council declines any of the appointments, the Mayor can appoint a different nominee or ask for new nominees from the Nominating Committee.
• For more information on the selection process, review Chicago Municipal Code Sec. 2-80-040.

What is the Nominating Committee?

• The Nominating Committee is a twenty-two-member public body. The Committee is comprised of one member from every elected District Council. That means the Committee has one representative from every police district in Chicago.

What are the eligibility criteria for Commissioners?

• Residency in Chicago for the last five years
• At least five years’ combined experience in one or more of the following fields: law, public policy, social work, psychology, mental health, public safety, community organizing, civil rights, or advocacy on behalf of marginalized communities.
• No employment in the last five years with the Chicago Police Department (CPD), the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), and the Police Board.
• To learn more about the qualifications, review Chicago Municipal Code Sec. 2-80-040.

What do Commissioners do?

• Commissioners serve four-year terms on the seven-member Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability.
• The Commission is responsible for overseeing the Chicago Police Department (CPD), the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), and the Police Board.
• The Commission is empowered to create and approve policies for all three agencies. In 2023, the Commission used its policymaking powers to address the Police Department’s gang database and to prohibit police from associating with criminal, extremist, terrorist, or discriminatory organizations.
• The Commission plays a central role in selecting and removing the Superintendent of CPD, the Chief Administrator of COPA, and members of the Police Board. In 2023, the Commission nominated Larry Snelling, the new Superintendent of CPD, and Kyle Cooper, the new President of the Police Board.
• The Commission is responsible for setting goals and evaluating the Superintendent of CPD, the Chief Administrator of COPA, and the President of the Police Board on an annual basis.
• The Commission can hold hearings, request information from city agencies, request investigations by the Office of the Inspector General, and make recommendations to City Council on public safety and police accountability. Every fall, the Commission provides Chicagoans with an annual report on CPD’s proposed budget for the upcoming year.
• To learn more about the Commission, go to City of Chicago :: What is the Community Commission?. You can also learn more by reviewing Chicago Municipal Code Sec. 2-80-050.

Are Commissioners paid?

Commissioners are paid $12,000 per year. The President of the Commission is paid $15,000 per year. Commissioners are responsible for selecting a member to serve as President.

What is the timeline for the nomination process?

• Monday, January 8, 2024, 12:00 PM: 30-day application period opens.
• Wednesday, February 7, 2024, 12:00 PM: 30-day application period closes.
• By Friday, March 8, 2024 (60 days after issuing the Request for Applications): Nominating Committee meets to select nominees.
• By Sunday, April 7, 2024 (30 days after receiving the list of nominees): Mayor appoints candidates or provides a written explanation for declining to appoint a candidate.
• By Tuesday, May 7, 2024 (30 days after receiving the Mayor’s declination): Nominating Committee submits new nominees for any remaining vacancies.

District Council Nominating Committee Members

Nominating Committee Bylaws 

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