CPD overhaul points to Sean Malinowski as Chicago’s next police chief

I just read about the major re-structuring planned for the Chicago Police Department and I’m a little ambivalent. An overhaul of the department is needed, but why is it being shaped by a place-holder at the top, temporary Supt. Charlie Beck?

Shouldn’t that be the prerogative of the new permanent superintendent of police? I can’t see how any leader would want to take the job without having had input into this reorganization of the department.

This means one of two things. Either Sean Malinowski, Beck’s buddy, already has been chosen to be the new police chief, given Sun-Times reports that Malinowski had influence in the reorganization process. Or the new superintendent will be told what to do by a mayor pulling puppet strings.

More than anything, CPD needs to be run as a professional police organization, independent of City Hall. Since this is Chicago, we know that will never happen.

Robert Stasch, O’Hare

Thank you, President Trump — now behave

Pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord and declaring climate change a hoax, cutting taxes in a way that disproportionately benefits the wealthy and failing to confront our enemies and advance democracy.

The abysmal list of President Donald Trump’s bad decisions goes on. I am sick and tired, though, of the absence of bipartisanship and failure to recognize progress.

Trump deserves some credit. He just signed the USMCA, the free trade agreement among the United States, Mexico and Canada. He brought the Chinese back to the negotiating table on a new trade agreement by means of short-term targeted tariffs. And he ordered our tremendous Special Forces heroes to kill the terrorists Qasem Soleimani and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Trump is presiding over a booming economy and his policies are encouraging private sector growth, medical and military developments and investments in education and infrastructure. Whichever turn this impeachment takes, we ought to celebrate the economic healing of our nation.

What I would say to the president is “thank you for your service. Just do not forget that you serve at the pleasure of the people and we Americans are at our best when we aspire to higher ideals.”

Trump will never be able to foster unity, respect, kindness and love. And guess what? Those are the exact values needed to secure the survival of our democratic republic.

Henry J.H. Wilson, Barrington