Eddie T. Johnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eddie T. Johnson
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Johnson in 2016
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| 62nd Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department | |
| In office March 28, 2016 – December 2, 2019 (Interim from March 28 – April 13, 2016) |
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| Appointed by | Rahm Emanuel |
| Preceded by | John Escalante (interim) |
| Succeeded by | Charlie Beck (interim) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 28, 1960 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Children | 3 |
| Residences | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Profession |
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| Police career | |
| Current status | Terminated for cause |
| Department | Chicago Police Department |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Years of service | 1988–2019 |
| Rank | Superintendent (2016–2019) Chief of the Patrol Bureau (2012–16)  Commander, 6th District (2008-12)  |
Eddie T. Johnson (born July 28, 1960) is a retired police officer from the Chicago Police Department. He was the leader of the department, known as the 62nd Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. He held this important role from March 2016 to December 2019.
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Early Life and School
Eddie Johnson was born in Chicago, Illinois, on the Near North Side. His family lived in the Cabrini–Green Homes, which were public housing buildings. When he was 10, his family moved to the Washington Heights area. He went to Corliss High School and finished in 1978.
Police Career
Starting as a Patrol Officer
Johnson began his work with the Chicago Police Department in 1988. He started as a patrol officer, which means he worked on the streets. Later, in 2008, he became a Commander for the 6th police district. In 2012, he was made the Chief of Patrol for the whole department.
Becoming Interim Superintendent
In 2016, Chicago's Mayor Rahm Emanuel chose Johnson to be the temporary, or "interim," superintendent. This was a bit unusual because Johnson was not one of the final three candidates picked by the Chicago Police Board. Johnson had not even applied for the job. Mayor Emanuel named him the Interim Police Chief on March 28, 2016.
Leading the Department
On April 13, 2016, Johnson officially became the Chicago Police Superintendent. The Chicago City Council approved his nomination with a unanimous vote of 50–0. This meant everyone agreed he should lead the police department.
End of Service
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On December 2, 2019, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot ended Johnson's time as superintendent. She stated that his employment was terminated due to "a series of ethical lapses," meaning there were problems with his actions.
Impact on Chicago Police
As Superintendent, Johnson led a very large police department. It had over 13,400 officers and was the second-largest in the United States. He supported new training for how officers use force. He also pushed for more community policing, which means officers work closely with neighborhoods.
Johnson also helped bring in a court monitor to watch over police reforms. These reforms were suggested by the DOJ and the Chicago Police Accountability Task Force (CPATF). The CPATF was started by Mayor Rahm Emanuel to look into a serious incident involving Laquan McDonald. Current Mayor Lori Lightfoot once led this task force.
Johnson became superintendent in 2016 to help people trust the police again. This was after a video of the Laquan McDonald incident was delayed for a long time. Johnson said this event made people lose trust in the police. He also noted that police officers felt less confident because of this.
When Johnson started in 2016, Chicago's homicide rate was very high. By the end of 2018, the number of homicides had dropped. Johnson believed using data analytics helped reduce homicides and shootings. He also agreed with the DOJ's investigation into police shootings. This investigation found that the CPD sometimes used too much force and showed racial discrimination.
This led to a consent decree. This is a special agreement enforced by the federal government. It helps make sure the CPD makes important changes. Because of this agreement, Johnson improved police training. He also supported community policing efforts. These changes helped reduce the number of shootings involving officers.
Personal Life
Eddie Johnson lives in the Bridgeport neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. He is divorced and has three children. One of his children is also a patrol officer with the CPD. In 2017, Johnson remarried another CPD officer.
Johnson had a kidney disease for most of his life. In 2017, his son, Daniel Johnson, donated one of his kidneys to his father. Both Eddie and Daniel Johnson support Illinois' organ donation program. They received an award from the National Kidney Foundation in 2019 for their support.
