Lightfoot names head of new civilian commission overseeing Chicago Police Department

CHICAGO - Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot appointed the first executive director to a new community commission, and the move remains controversial.

Adam Gross, a longtime advocate for police reform, was appointed to the post on Monday. The position is designed to play a role in policing officers and in hiring and firing police superintendents.

Gross' appointment drew praise from aldermen who voted in favor of creating the new oversight commission, whose 66 members will be chosen by voters in next year's city elections.

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"And I can't think of a more qualified person to lead this organization," said Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th Ward). "If we're going to get public safety right in the city of Chicago we need to restore trust between residents of the city of Chicago and the Chicago Police Department. Study after study makes that clear, that that's a key component to a good public safety strategy."

Among city council members who voted against creating the new community commission on public safety and accountability was Alderman Nick Sposato of the Northwest Side.

Sposato thinks the commission, whose members come from police district's that do not have populations that are all equal or in line with normal elective districts, is a bad idea.

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"You're just gonna have people on these commissions from these police districts that are gonna be people that truly hate and dislike them," Sposato said. "Hate may be a strong word, but certainly dislike and want to defend the police and it's not going to be good. These are going to be people that want to bring social workers out there and not police officers."

As Lightfoot made the appointment of Gross, she noted that he served on her police reform task force and helped to develop its recommendations.