Better Government Association

Speculation Starts On Chicago's Next Top Cop

Posted: Tuesday, 03 April 2007 9:45AM

CHICAGO (CBS 2) - Mayor Richard M. Daley seemed to contradict himself Monday in regards to the resignation of Chicago Police Supt. Phil Cline. At one point he indicated he pushed for Cline's resignation because he'd decided it was "time for a change."

As CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports, a few moments later, the mayor said he never actually demanded that Cline resign, and praised Cline’s job performance.

Suzanne Andriukaitis had only praise for Cline and said she cried upon learning of his departure.

"He was a great police chief, that's my vote," she said. "A very human man."

Andriukaitis and members of her Alliance for the Mentally Ill met with Cline after a series of tragic encounters in which police officers shot or killed mental patients.

Eventually, Cline asked her to help train 300 officers on Crisis Intervention Teams with the goal of teaching street cops how to defuse a confrontation with someone mentally or emotionally disturbed.

Even as Daley announced Cline's departure Monday, he acknowledged that the superintendent had introduced dozens of similar community-based innovations.

"They're all part of his legacy," Daley said. "Not only that but the way he dealt with gang, guns and drugs, the crime rate is going down."

In part, perhaps, because of his relationships with community groups, Cline presided over a 30 percent decline in murder and a 19 percent drop in robbery.

But those numbers were questioned in a report by 2 Investigator Pam Zekman.

While arguing that Cline had been too slow to respond to at least one of the recent reports of police abuse, the chairman of the City Council's Police Committee said he, too, admired Cline's achievements.

"I think that if you look at his record in terms of reduction in crime... I think he's done a good job, " said Ald. Isaac Carothers (29th).

"I think it's a shame that he leaves under these circumstances,” said Dan Sprehe of the Better Government Association.

Cline, who came up the ranks himself, didn't hesitate to hit the streets. Last fall Cline came upon the scene of a motorcycle crash and stopped to protect the injured man with his car until paramedics arrived. On News Year’s Eve 2004, shortly after asking the public to celebrate safely, the superintendent personally arrested someone for shooting a gun in celebration.

But four special operations officers were also indicted on Cline's watch for allegedly shaking down and robbing suspected drug dealers and innocent citizens. Despite dozens of complaints against them, nothing was done.

With all that in mind, critics say it's time to regain control of the police department. Others say Cline is simply the fall guy for the city's big boss.

"There is no question in my mind that the cover-up of bad police behavior could not exist in this city unless the mayor wanted it to happen,” said Terry Ekl, the attorney of the female bartender beaten by off-duty officer Anthony Abbate.

The mayor said he is going to launch a nationwide search for Chicago's next top cop.

He went out of his way to say that female candidates would be considered. Observers point to Deborah Kirby in Internal Affairs and Chief of Detectives Maria Haher.

Insiders also pointed to Chief of Patrol Charles Williams, an African American, and Deputy Supt. Hiram Grau, a Hispanic.

Other potential candidates include Deputy Supt. James Malloy; the mayor's own chief of staff, Ron Huberman; and Tom Byrne, now working in City Hall's Dept. of Transportation after retiring from the police department.