Subject: Re: Media Request: Reaction to CPD Superintendent Story
From: Monica Trevino - To: sam@invisibleinstitute.com - Date: November 19, 2018 at 3:04 PM

Here you go:
The recent article by the Invisible Institute re-affirms what I have said countless times, we must continue to
support our Chicago Police Department while holding them accountable, including the leadership who is
tasked to uphold the highest standards of integrity and lawfully protect and serve our communities with
dignity and respect.
The current superintendent was given a difficult mandate as we grappled with a sudden and unexpected
spike in gun violence and blood-shed, low morale within the rank and file and public pressure that would
forever change the dialogue about how we police our communities.
Johnson’s track record uncovered by the Invisible Institute, is not surprising as he has been part of a culture
and a code of silence that has persisted for decades. His failure to acknowledge this pervasive culture and
do everything in his power to change it is troubling. Simply put, you cannot fix what you do not
acknowledge.
However, I do not hold him solely responsible. The failure is not his alone and should be shared by those
before him who refused to address our racial history and the cruel dynamics of harsh policing that
has brought us to where we are today. Johnson, just like everyone before him acquiesced to the status quo
and turned a blind eye to police misconduct.
I hold the mayor responsible for setting aside the nomination process that was in place and acting alone to
serve narrow political ends. He chose Johnson, a decision driven by political expediency, rather than
seeking genuinely new leadership.
If elected mayor, I will work with all stakeholders to establish a national search process that is inclusive,
transparent and accountable and that ensures we are able to identify and select the best qualified candidate,
whether he or she comes from within the ranks or not.
We need bold leadership now more than ever if we are going to successfully implement police reforms and
the systemic changes we need to move beyond our scarred and painful history. The path we must forge
extends beyond the implementation of the consent decree and the improved training and support our police
officers need to do their jobs. We must also heavily invest in those impacted communities experiencing most
of the violence. Implementing a holistic and coordinated plan that includes focused economic and
community investment, targeted workforce development, trauma informed services and counseling, strong
neighborhood schools and real housing options will go a long way to building the safe and thriving
communities in which we all want to live.
To lead the charge, I will be looking for a leader who that has the resiliency to transform police practices and
the culture that informs decision making. The City of Chicago needs and deserves a diverse leader who has
the breadth and depth of law enforcement experience that garners the respect of those who he or she must
lead. He or she must also possess the ability to bridge the divide between the department and the
communities they are sworn to serve by building trust and being responsive to those most impacted by
disproportionate and unjust policing.

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