Aldermen urge Lightfoot to pick an insider to replace retiring Supt. Eddie Johnson

Two weeks after becoming Chicago’s $260,0444-a-year police superintendent, New York native Garry McCarthy started getting calls from aldermen with their picks for district commander.

It’s no surprise, then, that aldermen interviewed Thursday would like to see Mayor Lori Lightfoot choose an insider to replace retiring Supt. Eddie Johnson.

“We need to make sure morale stays up and that the men and women in the police department believe someone’s got their back. If you talk to them, they would say it should be someone from inside,” said Ald. Matt O’Shea (19^th), whose Southwest Side ward is home to scores of Chicago police officers.

“It’s increasingly more difficult to be in law enforcement. If we could find a strong leader in the ranks — someone the men and women know and trust — that would be a smoother transition.”

If Lightfoot is open to choosing Johnson’s successor from within the ranks, O’Shea has a dark-horse candidate whom he believes “has that pedigree in him:” Deputy Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan.

“He’s sharp. He cuts through the bulls---. He’s respected. He’s a hard worker. And he’s done it all on his own just being the real police.”

As a political pragmatist, O’Shea acknowledged Deenihan is a longshot, adding, “I don’t think a white Irish guy is gonna be superintendent anytime soon.”

Nearly four years ago, the City Council’s Hispanic Caucus was upset that acting Police Supt. John Escalante was left off the Police Board’s list of three finalists forwarded to — and subsequently ignored by — then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

This time around, Hispanic Caucus Chairman Gilbert Villegas (36th) doesn’t have a horse in the race even though he would prefer to see Johnson replaced by an insider.

“Under Supt. Johnson’s leadership, you’ve seen a commitment to diversity. You’ve seen him promoting Latinos in order to get that experience. There are some [Hispanic] people in the deputy chief and chief positions. [But] I don’t know if they’re ready to step up right now,” Villegas said.

“But at least Supt. Johnson has developed a pipeline so that, in the future as these positions become available, there are better candidates.”

Ald. Ariel Reboyras (30^th), who chaired the Committee on Public Safety under Emanuel, is pushing two insiders, both of whom are women: Chief of Detectives Melissa Staples and Barbara West, the department’s chief of organizational development.

“Very knowledgeable. Well respected. And it’s good for morale to get someone from the inside,” Reboyras said.

A blistering recent report recommending the department overhaul how it investigates homicides and shootings to boost dismal but improving clearance rates could hurt Staples’ chances. But it shouldn’t, Reboyras said.

“We need additional bodies in the detective division. We’re gonna get ’em, from my understanding. They’ve cleared it up quite a bit from the last numbers that were out. They’re doing better. [But] it’s gonna take a while. We know that,” Reboyras said.

West Side Ald. Emma Mitts (37^th) is a West backer through and through.

“She came out of the 15^th [Austin] District, so I know her well. I know what she’ll do. I know she’s fair. She’s one who’s tough, but firm and she will get the job done. She’s out there with her officers. That’s a big part of being a good leader,” Mitts said.

Although the Chicago Police Department has a macho culture, Mitts said, it’s time for a woman to take the reins.

“Women are moving up. Women are tough. They can relate to men and be fair with it at the same time . . . They’ve always shined. They just haven’t had the top spot to do so,” Mitts said.

“It’s time for women ... to stand up and take the role and not bow down and do the right thing and try to get it right.”

Four years ago, a nationwide search headed by then-Police Board President Lori Lightfoot culminated in the selection of three candidates, two of them outsiders. Emanuel rejected all three names, changed the rules to abandon the charade of a second nationwide search and chose Johnson, who hadn’t applied for the job.

Given the chance to choose her own superintendent, O’Shea predicted that Lightfoot will go outside CPD based on “what I’ve heard her say and her people say.”

He added: “If I had a quarter for every time I’ve heard it said there’s a thin bench in the last month, I could take you to lunch.”