>>> COMMUNITY LEADERS ARE LOOKING FOR A TRANSFORMATIONAL FIGURE TO LEAD THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT , AND THEY BELIEVE THEY MIGHT HAVE FOUND THREE.

THE FINALISTS WERE SELECTED BY THE COMMISSION FOR SAFETY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

BRANDON JOHNSON WILL MAKE WHAT WILL LIKELY BE THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL HIRING DECISION OF HIS MINISTRATION.

JOINING US NOW OUR COMMUNITY ADVOCATE FROM THE WEST SIDE REBEL TERRY AND ANTHONY DRIVER, A LIFELONG SOUTHSIDE RESIDENT AND POLITICAL STRATEGIST .

BOTH OF YOU HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS BRAND-NEW PROCESS YOU COMPLETED, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FINALISTS.

WHAT WERE THE GUIDEPOSTS THAT LED YOU ON THIS JOURNEY?

>> WE PRODUCED A BROCHURE THAT OUTLINES THE QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPECTATIONS THAT WE HAD, AND WE ALSO INCLUDED SOME OF THE IMPEDIMENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL.

BASED ON THAT BROCHURE, THAT IS HOW WE LOOKED AT THESE VARIOUS APPLICATIONS ALONG WITH THE RUBRIC AND THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

>> SO ANTHONY DRIVER HAD REQUESTED THAT THE NEXT CANDIDATE BE SOMEONE FROM THE INSIDE.

HE STRONGLY INDICATED THAT THAT WAS HIS PREFERENCE.

DID THAT GUIDE YOUR SEARCH?

>> WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE FOUND THE BEST PEOPLE.

THAT WAS WHAT WE FOCUSED ON.

THIS WAS SOMETHING MANY OTHERS DID ALONG THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, BUT OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN ON FINDING THE EXPERTS.

>> SO TWO FINALISTS HAVE BEEN SELECTED.

ROMMELL TERRY, WHAT SETS THEM APART?

>> WE ARE LOOKING FOR A LEADER, SOMEONE WHO IS A VISIONARY.

WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HEARD FROM EVERYONE.

THAT IS IMPORTANT.

WE WANTED TO ADDRESS WORKFORCE ALLOCATION ISSUES AND ALSO ESTABLISH AND BUILD TRUST IN COMMUNITIES WERE NEVER EXISTED.

WE FELT THAT THOSE CANDIDATES WERE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS HOW THEY WOULD IMPLEMENT THAT IF SELECTED AS SUPERINTENDENT.

>> LET'S BREAK DOWN THE CANDIDATES.

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU AS A CANDIDATE?

>> AMAZING LEADER, A PERSON WHO HAS HAD EXPERIENCE, KNOWS THINGS FORWARD AND BACKWARDS.

WE TALKED TO FOLKS IN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.

WE TALKED TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF CHICAGOANS THINK HE IS ONE OF THE MOST PREPARED PEOPLE WE HAVE WORKED WITH.

>> AND SEAN BARNES, THERE WERE SOME COMPLAINTS THAT HE HAD SPENT TIME AT KOBA AND IS NOW RUNNING A SMALLER POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WHAT ABOUT HIM STOOD OUT?

>> HIS DISSERTATION WAS ON RACIAL BIAS.

HE SPENT 10 MONTHS IN CHICAGO.

VERY, VERY VOCAL CANDIDATE, VERY COLLABORATIVE PERSON.

>> WE JUST WANT TO ADD, IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THE SPECIFIC CANDIDATES?

>> I JUST WANT TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS.

WE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THEM.

THEY HAD A GOOD GRASP ON HOW TO TACKLE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES.

WE THINK THAT IS SO IMPRESSIVE, BEING ABLE TO SAY THINGS LIKE HAVING AN ACTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONSENT DECREE AND THE RANK-AND-FILE SO THAT THEY HAVE THE BUY-IN TO KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING BENEFICIAL TO THEM IN ORDER TO CREATE WAYS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT CHICAGO IS CURRENTLY FACING.

>> IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE TRUST WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO TRUST IN THE BACKING OF THE RANK AND FILE.

ANTHONY DRIVER, AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, YOU MET WITH POLICE OFFICERS, YOU MET WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE THINGS YOU HEARD FROM THEM?

>> TO BE HONEST WE HEARD A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS.

THAT IS WHAT LED US TO CONCLUDE THAT WE ALL WANT TO FEEL AND BE SAFE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

WE ALSO WANT TO BE RESPECTED.

YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE INABILITY TO PLAN AND HAVE A STRONG LEADER.

MANY WANT TO BE RESPECTED.

THEY WANT THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.

>> THIS PROCESS GOT PRAISE FROM THE PRESIDENT SAYING THAT NOBODY HAD EVER ASKED RANK-AND-FILE POLICE OFFICERS WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR IN A LEADER.

HOW DID THAT FEEL TO GET THAT COMPLEMENT FROM THEM?

>> I THINK THAT FELT EXTREMELY GREAT TO HEAR FROM A GROUP THAT DOESN'T GET A LOT OF ATTENTION AND IS MAYBE NOT SEEN IN THE BEST LIGHT, SO KNOWING THAT WE ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THAT WE ARE NOT FORMER OFFICERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE LEFT THEM FEELING RESPECTED AND VALUED .

WE FELT GREAT.

>> ANTHONY DRIVER, WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS NOW?

BRANDON JOHNSON HAS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO PICK ONE OF THESE THREE, CORRECT?

>> YES, 30 DAYS FROM LAST FRIDAY.

I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DATE.

BUT HE HAS 30 DAYS.

WE HAVE HANDED OVER THE INFORMATION WE HAVE FOR HIM AND HIS TEAM TO REVIEW.

IF HE STARTS OVER, IT COMES BACK BEFORE US FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.

>> I SHOULD ASK, ARE THERE ANY CONCERNS, ESPECIALLY WITH THESE TWO CANDIDATES BECAUSE OF THE SLOW PROCESS AND THE CONSENT DECREE THAT SOME FOLKS MIGHT HAVE PROBLEMS?

>> I THINK EVERYTHING WILL HAVE CHALLENGES, BUT WE ARE MORE THAN CONFIDENT THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO WHAT IS NECESSARY AND THEY UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS AND THEY HAVE INNOVATIVE IDEAS ON HOW TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.

I AM MORE THAN CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL BE MORE THAN CAPABLE OF DOING WHAT IS NECESSARY IN GAINING COMPLIANCE.

>> ANTHONY DRIVER, THE MAYOR DOES HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE YOU START THE PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN.

I WOULD GO OUT ON A LIMB AND SAY YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE GOTTEN THE THREE BEST CANDIDATES, RIGHT?

>> WE DO.

HOWEVER, I BELIEVE IN CHECKS AND BALANCES AND SODAS