Apply to serve on the Commission

Please submit a completed application form using the link above and email CommissionNomination@cityofchicago.org with a current resume (no more than 2 pages) and at least three letters of support from people familiar with your qualifications.

If you cannot use the online form and would rather print out the application, please click here to access a downloadable application form. Then mail a paper application along with your resume and letters of support to Nominating Committee, 2 N. LaSalle, Suite 960, Chicago, IL 60602.

If you require further accommodations, please email CommissionNomination@cityofchicago.org or contact us at 312-519-0110.

All applicants should, at minimum:

• Reside in the City of Chicago for at least five years immediately preceding appointment and during their terms as Commissioners;
• Have at least five years’ combined experience in one or more of the following fields: law, public policy, social work, psychology, mental health, public safety, community organizing, civil rights, or advocacy on behalf of marginalized communities (applicants between the ages of 18 to 24 are except from this requirement);
• Have a reputation for integrity, professionalism, and sound judgment;
• Have a history of leadership and community involvement;
• Have a demonstrated ability to engage effectively with all who have a stake in policing, including, but not limited to, marginalized communities, police officers, and public officials;
• Have a demonstrated ability to work in groups in a collaborative manner that reflects sound judgment, independence, fairness, and objectivity;
• No employment with the Chicago Police Department (CPD), the Police Board, or the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) within the last 5 years;
• Candidates are required to disclose any personal, professional, or financial conflict of interest that could reasonably be thought to bear upon the person’s performance as a Commissioner.

While any person who meets the above qualifications is invited to apply, candidates who satisfy the following two criteria are highly encouraged to participate:

Youth Applicants:

• Should be between the ages of 18 and 24 years old at the time of appointment;
• Are not required to have five years of combined relevant experience.

Northside Applicants:

• Must have lived in one of the following community areas for at least one year immediately preceding their appointment:
  
  Albany Park, Avondale, Belmont Cragin, Dunning, Edgewater, Edison Park, Forest Glen, Hermosa, Irving Park, Jefferson Park, Lake View, Lincoln Park, Lincoln Square, Logan Square, the Loop, Montclare, Near North Side, North Center, North Park, Norwood Park, O’Hare, Portage Park, Rogers Park, Uptown, West Ridge.

Interested candidates should submit applications and are evaluated by the Nominating Committee of the District Councils. The Committee will review all applications and invite select candidates to interview. Following interviews, a list of finalists will be presented to the Mayor who will then select three names to fill each of the vacancies.

It is very important that all candidates have a good understanding of the responsibilities and powers of Commission, the CCPSA Ordinance, and its recent work. Additionally, because of the importance and nature of the Commissioners’ role, candidates are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the District Councils, the Chicago Police Department, Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), and the Police Board prior to applying.

The Nominating Committee will begin receiving applications starting on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. The applications will be open for thirty days, closing at 11:59PM on February 6, 2026.

Because the nomination process undergoes through review by the Nominating Committee and other parts of our city government, the application process can take between 90 to 120 days. Applicants will be notified of their candidacy’s progress as the process unfolds.

• Application Deadline and Nominating Review: The Committee will close its request for applications on January 7, 2026. It will then evaluate the received application and notify continuing candidates of the next steps by February 20, 2026.
• Interview Invitations: After reviewing all applications received, the Nominating Committee will interview with 12 candidates (four for each of the three vacancies). If the Nominating Committee determines that fewer than four candidates qualify, it will offer interviews to all qualified candidates.
• Decision Timeline: The Nominating Committee will meet to select at least two applicants for each vacancy no later than sixty days after issuing the Request for Application for Commissioner. This means that a final list to fill the vacancies will be provided to the Mayor by March 7, 2026.
• Mayor’s Appointment Decisions: By April 6, 2026, the Mayor shall appoint a candidate from the list of nominees for each vacancy or provide the Nominating Committee with a written explanation as to why the Mayor declined to fill a vacancy with a listed nominee. The Nominating Committee will make this written explanation publicly available on the Commission’s website within three business days. Within thirty days of receiving a declination, the Nominating Committee will submit to the Mayor a new list of two nominees for the vacancy. The new list shall not include any candidates from any prior list submitted to the Mayor to fill the current existing vacancies. The Mayor will then have thirty days after receiving the new list to appoint a candidate or decline to appoint a candidate. This process shall continue until the Mayor appoints a candidate for all seven vacancies.
• City Council Approval: The Mayor shall submit the appointee to the City Council Committee on Police and Fire for review. Appointments must be approved by City Council. If City Council rejects the appointed candidate, the Mayor shall have thirty days to appoint a different candidate from the most recent list or request two new nominees for the vacancy. This process shall continue until City Council confirms an appointee for the vacancy. Note that there is no deadline for City Council to confirm nominees.

• The Commission is responsible for overseeing the Chicago Police Department (CPD), the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), and the Police Board.
• The Commission is empowered to create and approve policies for all three agencies.
• The Commission plays a central role in selecting and removing the Superintendent of CPD, the Chief Administrator of COPA, and members of the Police Board.
• The Commission is responsible for setting goals and evaluating the Superintendent of CPD, the Chief Administrator of COPA, and the President of the Police Board on an annual basis.
• The Commission can hold hearings, request information from city agencies, request investigations by the Office of the Inspector General, and make recommendations to City Council on public safety and police accountability.
• Every fall, the Commission provides Chicagoans with an annual report on CPD’s proposed budget for the upcoming year.

To learn more about the Commission reviewing Chicago Municipal Code Sec. 2-80-050 or you can visit the Commission’s site.

Commissioners are paid $12,000 per year. The President of the Commission is paid $15,000 per year. Commissioners are responsible for selecting a member to serve as President.