Chicago Police Board
The Police Board is integral to ensuring public safety and accountability in Chicago. It is responsible for making difficult disciplinary decisions for officers accused of misconduct. More information about the Police Board is available here.
What is the Police Board?
Nomination and Appointment Process
Historically, Police Board members have been hand-selected by the mayor. Because of a City law passed in July 2021, the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability is now responsible for nominating candidates to serve on the Police Board. For every vacancy on the Police Board, the Community Commission must nominate three candidates and give their names to the mayor. The mayor may either select one of the three nominees or ask the Commission for a new list of three nominees. The process will continue until the mayor appoints a candidate. The mayor’s appointed candidate must then be voted on by the full City Council.
The Community Commission recognizes the importance of ensuring that Chicagoans from all communities have a voice that impacts public safety and accountability and is committed to ensuring that Police Board members are representative of our entire City. Accordingly, the Commission has developed an open selection process for Police Board members.
Applications will remain open on a rolling basis. If you submit an application at a time when no seats are opening or up for reappointment, the Commission will keep your application on file to be considered in the future.
Apply to Be a Member of the Police Board
The Commission is actively accepting and reviewing applications to fill multiple vacancies on the Police Board.
The Commission is looking for people from a variety of professions and backgrounds, including law, law enforcement, law enforcement oversight/police accountability, public policy, social work, psychology, mental health, community engagement or organizing, or civil rights. An applicant must have at least ten years of documented experience in any of those fields. This can include post-graduate education and experience in one field can be combined with experience in another field to meet the ten-year minimum requirement.
The term is five years, and each board member receives a monthly stipend of $1000.
If you are interested in being considered for the Police Board in the future, please submit the following items to PoliceBoardNominations@cityofchicago.org:
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- List of Five References
- Click here for a Completed Eligibility Form
- Click here for a Completed Conflict-of-Interest Form
It is the Commission’s great hope that qualified Chicagoans will recognize the importance of the Police Board and will come forward to serve.
Help the Commission Nominate the Right People for the Police Board!
The Commission wants to hear from you about what to look for in Police Board candidates. Even when there is no vacancies, it’s important to collect public input on what Chicagoans need from the public body that handles police misconduct cases. Click below to fill out a brief anonymous survey! Please only submit once.
Anonymous Survey for Members of the Chicago Police Department
Anonymous Survey for Members of the General Public
Summary of Survey Responses
Recent Nomination Decision
At the Commission’s public meeting on September 28, 2023, the Commission nominated six candidates to fill four existing vacancies on the Police Board. On October 30, the Mayor responded to the Commission with the selection of two candidates for the Police Board and the designation of a new Police Board President:
Kyle Cooper – President
Partner, Tabet DiVito & Rothstein LLC
Pursuant to Chicago Municipal Code 2-80-080(d), the candidates selected shall be referred to the City Council Committee on Police and Fire for hearing, and shall then be subject to City Council approval.
The Mayor also left two of the four existing vacancies open. Pursuant to Chicago Municipal Code 2-80-080(c), the Mayor provided the Commission with a written explanation for rejecting the other candidates nominated by the Commission. In accordance with the same section of the code, within 30 days after this rejection, Commission shall submit new candidates to the Mayor.
Mayor’s Letter Received by the Commission on October 30, 2023 – The letter announces the selection of Kyle Cooper and Dr. Niama Malachi to the Police Board and provides a written explanation for rejecting the other candidates to fill two remaining vacancies.
Yearly Goals and Evaluations of the Police Board President
Each year, the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability is required by law to establish goals and expectations for the President of the Police Board. In addition, at the end of the year, the Commission is required to evaluate and assess the Police Board President’s performance in meeting these goals and expectations as part of its oversight responsibilities.
The Commissioners work closely with the Police Board to establish these goals. Past goals for the Police Board have included improving the consistency of decisions, transparency around decisions, standardization of information, public engagement, and training.
Click below to review the Commission’s past goals of the Police Board President:
If you are interested in learning more about the Commission’s oversight of the Police Board, or if you would like to submit comments to the Commission, please email CommunityCommissionPublicComment@cityofchicago.org.