Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot is appointing David O. Brown, former Police Chief of the Dallas Police Department, to serve as the next Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department pending City Council approval.
"David Brown's track record of integrity, honor and legitimacy exemplifies what it means to be a Chicago Police Officer. Through his nationally-recognized leadership and years of on-the-ground work to create a culture rooted in transparency, accountability and community policing, he will build on our all-hands-on-deck effort to create real, widespread and lasting public safety in our communities," said Mayor Lightfoot. “Thanks to the foundation laid by Charlie Beck coupled with the strength and vision of David Brown, the Chicago Police Department has never been better-equipped to build on its historic crime reductions and reform efforts.”
Brown joined the Dallas Police Department in 1983, where for more than 25 years he rose through the ranks of patrol officer, sergeant and lieutenant and served in a wide range of positions including crime scene detective, SWAT team leader and supervisor of the 911/Dispatch Center. In 2010, Brown was appointed Chief of Police of the Department, where he became nationally recognized for his reform efforts to increase transparency, accountability and training for officers, as well as implement community policing initiatives that led the city to 50-year lows in violent crime.
“While we may hail from different backgrounds and walks of life, as police officers, we are all united to answer a call to rise and serve our fellow neighbors, communities and cities,” said Chief David Brown. “I want to thank Mayor Lightfoot for giving me this honor to serve alongside Chicago’s 13,000 police officers and build upon this city’s historic crime reductions and reform efforts that will create not only a safer city, but also a stronger Chicago Police Department.”
Serving from 2010 to 2016, Brown became the longest-serving Police Chief in the history of Dallas, leading the city to become a national leader in policing reforms as the Dallas Police Department became the first in the United States to institute department-wide de-escalation training for officers. Additionally, as Chief, Brown implemented implicit bias training, brought body cameras to Dallas and instituted reforms that expanded mental wellness supports for officers, increased diversity within the Department and published never-before-released use-of-force and officer-involved shooting data.
On July 7, 2016, Brown was thrust into the national spotlight after a lone gunman shot and killed four Dallas police officers, one Dallas Area Rapid Transit officer, and injured seven more officers and two civilians during a peaceful protest march in downtown Dallas. Following the national tragedy, Brown’s leadership helped heal a grieving city and bridge a gap between the city’s officers and the communities they serve.
“Chief David Brown is a consummate professional and highly-decorated and respected leader in law enforcement, who I have known for many years,” said Interim Police Superintendent Charlie Beck. “His commitment to community policing coupled with his high degree of integrity and his personal story of service and sacrifice positions him to be a formidable candidate to take over as Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. I will continue to be as helpful as needed and assist Chief Brown with any and all that may be required to make Chicago a safer and stronger city.”
