Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot cited “ethical lapses” in her decision to fire Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson on Monday, just weeks before his retirement.
Johnson had announced that he would retire at the end of the year following a scandalous incident in October, where he was found asleep at the wheel of his car at a stop sign after having “a couple of drinks with dinner.” The situation was still under investigation, but Lightfoot claimed Johnson had been “intentionally dishonest” about the circumstances following the incident that resulted in his termination.
In a statement, the mayor slammed Johnson for his dishonesty and claimed she would have fired him much sooner had the details been clear at the time of his October traffic stop.
“Upon a thorough review of the materials of the Inspector General’s ongoing investigation, it has become clear that Mr. Johnson engaged in a series of ethical lapses that are intolerable. Mr. Johnson was intentionally dishonest with me and communicated a narrative replete with false statements regarding material aspects of the incident that happened in the early morning hours of October 17,” Lightfoot stated. “Had I known all the facts at the time, I would have relieved him of his duties as superintendent then and there.”
She added, “Perhaps worst of all, Mr. Johnson has misled the people of Chicago. The 13,400 sworn and civilian members of the Chicago Police Department who work hard every day, deserve a leader who they can believe in. In public life, we must be accountable for our actions and strive to do better every day. And to achieve the reform and accountability in the department that we know is urgently needed, we require a leader whose actions reflect the integrity and legitimacy of what it means to be a Chicago Police Officer.”
Lightfoot noted that Johnson will be replaced by Charlie Beck, a former Los Angeles police chief who had already been chosen to be the interim superintendent in Chicago. Johnson was appointed by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel and had been a member of the city’s police force for more than 30 years.
In his role as police superintendent, Johnson used his platform to criticize President Trump. Johnson had boycotted a conference for the International Association of Chiefs of Police that was held in Chicago because the president was speaking.
Trump bashed Johnson for the decision, saying, “Since Eddie Johnson has been police chief, more than 1,500 people have been murdered in Chicago, and 13,067 people have been shot.” Trump later added, “It is embarrassing to us as a nation. All over the world, they’re talking about Chicago. Afghanistan is a safe place by comparison.”
In his retirement announcement, Johnson, 60, said the job had “taken its toll” on him, and he felt as though he was “carrying the weight of the world.”
