eddie johnson

Connected to Chicago (08-18-2019) Special Guest- Rep. David McSweeney

Aug 16, 2019 | mattmellin

Joining the show this week State Representative David McSweeney. David and John discuss pension reform, income taxes, The failure(s) of the Rauner administration, and the possibility of bringing back the death penalty.

In this week’s round table segment, John Dempsey is joined by Ray Long of The Chicago Tribune, Greg Hinz of Crain’s, Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times, and Heather Cherone, editor of The Daily Line. The discussion opens up with President Trump making comments that he is again considering pardoning ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich, A study from Las Vegas has concluded that a Chicago casino wouldn’t be feasible due to the tax structure, and Dorothy Brown has announced she won’t seek re-election.

This week’s Community Spotlight is with Nick Gale. Nick explains the creation of the Elder Abuse Task Force. This week, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the 22 members that will serve on the panel.

Reporting its findings and recommendations to the governor and the General Assembly by January 1, 2021, the task force will analyze the effectiveness of elder protective services in Illinois and other states and develop a long-term plan to improve outcomes for older Illinoisans.

Connected to Chicago with Bill Cameron (08-11-2019) Special Guest- Amy Campanelli

Aug 9, 2019 | mattmellin

Joining the show this week Amy Campanelli. Campanelli is the Public Defender of Cook County. John and Amy discuss the Chicago Police Gun Defender Dashboard, Bail Reform, and The benefits of police body cameras, which makes it clear as public defender to see what is happening between the officer and client.

In this week’s round table segment, John Dempsey is joined by Ray Long of The Chicago Tribune, Greg Hinz of Crain’s, Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times, and Heather Cherone, editor of The Daily Line. The discussion opens up with speculation that former Governor Rod Blagojevich prison sentence might be commuted by President Trump, The tragic mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton bring the spotlight on gun law reform and red flag laws, and how can Mayor Lightfoot fix the city’s financial problems.

This week’s Community Spotlight is with Lauren Cohn. Lauren talks to Dr. Paul Berkowitz, Chairman of The Department of Psychiatry for Sinai Health System. Holy Cross Hospital has recently opened a brand new mental health wing. Dr. Berkowitz describes the benefits that this will bring to the community and hospital.

Connected to Chicago with Bill Cameron (08-04-2019) Special Guest-Richard Boykin

Aug 2, 2019 | mattmellin

Joining the show this week Richard Boykin. Boykin is a former Cook County Commissioner, and considering a run for State’s Attorney to replace Kim Foxx. John and Richard discuss crime in Chicago, The Jussie Smollett case, and defending the rights of crime victim families. Boykin criticizes Foxx, and explains how he might run for State’s Attorney.

In this week’s round table segment, John Dempsey is joined by Ray Long of The Chicago Tribune, Greg Hinz of Crain’s, Lynn Sweet and of the Chicago Sun-Times, and Heather Cherone, editor of The Daily Line. The discussion opens up with a recap of the Democratic Presidential Debate, Who looked like the strongest candidate? Did Biden’s blundering answers set him back at all? Can the Republicans take the House? The conversation shifts locally to the Obama Center, and where it will be built.

This week’s Community Spotlight is with Nick Gale. Gov. Pritzker has signed a law that prohibits employers from asking job applicants about their salary history.

The bill was sponsored by State Rep. Anna Moeller (D-Elgin) who says it is needed to stop the cycle of less pay for female employees that often begins with their first job.

The new law begins in 60 days.

Connected to Chicago with Bill Cameron (07-21-2019) Special Guest- Superintendent Eddie Johnson of The Chicago Police

Jul 19, 2019 | mattmellin

Joining the show this week is Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson. Johnson goes in depth on the ways that CPD is taking care of gang violence, He responds to Mayor Lightfoot saying that we’re “losing the street”, and what to expect from legalized gambling and cannabis.

In this week’s round table segment, Bill Cameron is joined by Ray Long of The Chicago Tribune, Greg Hinz of Crain’s, Lynn Sweet and Fran Spielman of the Chicago Sun-Times, and Heather Cherone, editor of The Daily Line. The discussion opens up with the FBI raiding Mike McClain’s home who is a lobbyist for Comed, and has ties to Michael Madigan. What’s to come from this? Mayor Lightfoot suggests that the democrats shouldn’t take the bait from President Trump’s recent comments saying that they were “xenophobic”, and implying we should find a balance. Toni Preckwinkle and the Mayor argue over police policy

This week’s Community Spotlight is with Nick Gale, and focuses on a lawsuit filed against the state by the Illinois State Rifle Association. ISRA filed the lawsuit Wednesday to block implementation of a law requiring state licensing of gun dealers. ISRA executive director Richard Pearson says the suit contends that the rules aren’t clear. Gun dealers are already licensed at the federal level.

Upon signing the law, J.B. Pritzker said it would detour straw purchases and slow the illegal gun purchases in the state. Most evidence though shows that guns flowing into the hands of criminals in Illinois come from Indiana and Mississippi.

Connected to Chicago (03-04-2018)

Mar 2, 2018 | tbravo

Bill Cameron sits down this week with Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, Eddie Johnson. They discuss the Criminal Justice System, including specific crimes in Chicago, and what is being done to help stop them. Johnson also talks about gun control, including gun sale restrictions, the NRA, bump stock issues, and surveillance systems. Johnson talks about accountability within the CPD, ending the “cone of silence,” and sexual harassment. He also touches on the new movie set in Chicago “Death Wish.”

In this week’s round table segment, Bill Cameron is joined by Fran Spielman of the Chicago Sun Times and Hal Dardick of the Chicago Tribune. They discuss the O’Hare expansion, the March primaries, property tax, and the Gubernatorial race.

This week’s community spotlight segment with John Dempsey focuses on Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. They recently announced the new Safe and Secure program, a multi-faceted effort to increase safety across the CTA system and provide a more secure, comfortable traveling experience. “In Chicago we are investing in a world-class public transportation system that provides a comfortable, safe and secure experience for transit riders,” Mayor Emanuel said. “Chicago is the first city in the nation to create a ride-hailing fee dedicated to transit, making it possible to continue to invest in the latest technology and improvements that enhance commuting and improve the quality of life in our city.” Beginning later this year CTA will add 1,000 new cameras and upgrade more than 3,800 older-model cameras throughout the system. Additionally, new lighting, repairs and other improvements will enhance safety at all 146 CTA rail stations. New cameras will also be installed at more than 100 CTA bus turnaround locations and video monitors will be added to all CTA rail stations to aid personnel in monitoring station and customer activity. CTA’s security camera network has doubled in size since 2011. The cameras, found at every rail station and on every bus and train, have been an important tool to help Chicago Police identify crime suspects and detect crime patterns. All of CTA’s buses and trains have multiple cameras. The newest buses have 10-14 cameras per vehicle depending on size. Additionally, CTA has worked closely with the Chicago Police Department’s Public Transportation Unit to strengthen and deploy strategies to fight crime that include expanded police patrols, rail saturation missions and undercover operations. Since June 2011, CTA cameras have aided Police in the investigation, arrest and charging of more than 1,300 individuals.

Johnson to testify in suit brought by mom of teen killed by cop

Apr 6, 2017 | WLSAM Staff

(CHICAGO) Police Supt. Eddie Johnson is expected to testify Thursday in the wrongful death trial of a teenager who was fatally shot in the back by a Chicago cop in 2013.

At the time, Johnson — who was not yet superintendent — was serving as acting street deputy when he arrived in the aftermath of the shooting and signed off on official police reports, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting.

Officer Robert Gonzalez maintains that Christian Green, 17, turned and pointed a gun at him during a chase through a vacant lot in the Washington Park neighborhood on a sunny Independence Day afternoon four years ago.

A police report initially indicated Green had been shot in the chest.

However an autopsy performed by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office concluded that Green was shot in the back.

Attorney Vic Henderson, who’s suing the City of Chicago and Officer Gonzalez for an unspecified amount of money on behalf of the slain teenager’s mother, argues that Green was unarmed and running away when he was shot. The gun Green had been carrying was found 75 feet from his body, Henderson points out.

The jury trial began Tuesday at a courtroom in the Daley Center and is expected to last at least through the end of next week.

The Independent Police Review Authority, which investigates police shootings, determined that Gonzalez acted within departmental policy.

Testimony of Gonzalez’s work history has been barred from trial, including the fact that he was on a team of officers supervised by Sgt. Ronald Watts, who was sentenced in 2013 to 22 months in federal prison for for ripping off a drug courier who was an FBI informant.

An officer on Watts’ team, Kallatt Mohammed, was also convicted and given time for the crime.

Gonzalez was never charged with any wrongdoing.

In March, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx announced her office would be reviewing hundreds of convictions involving Watts and his underlings.

— Chicago Sun-Times

Top cop asks city to look at fiancee’s actions after traffic stop

Jan 31, 2017 | WLSAM Staff

CHICAGO Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson is asking the city’s inspector general to look into allegations Johnson’s fiancee, a CPD lieutenant, may have intervened to help her son following a traffic stop, a spokesman for the department told the Chicago Sun-Times Tuesday.

Anthony Guglielmi, the spokesman, said in an emailed statement that the department became aware of the incident Tuesday morning and that an internal investigation has been opened into the “handling of the traffic offense” involving the son of Lt. Nakia Fenner.

“Supt. Johnson is committed to the highest levels of integrity and professional standards for every member of the Chicago Police Department,” Guglielmi said. “He has asked Internal Affairs that this case be turned over to the Chicago Inspector General for an independent investigation into the facts to avoid any perception of impropriety.”

–Chicago Sun-Times

Report ties top cop Eddie Johnson to LaQuan McDonald shooting aftermath

Dec 23, 2016 | WLS-AM Staff

By John Dempsey, WLS-AM News

(CHICAGO) New problems for Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson. The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Johnson, who was a police Deputy Superintendent when white officer Jason VanDyke shot and killed black teenager LaQuan McDonald in October of 2014, was among a group of top police officials who saw the dashcam video of the shooting just days after it occurred.

The Tribune cites documents it obtained of the city’s Office of Inspector General, which quoted a police Lieutenant who was at the viewing of the video. The report says Lt. Osvaldo Valdez told

Inspector General’s investigators that “There was never no question whether the shooting was justified. Everyone agreed that Officer Van Dyke used the force necessary to eliminate the threat, and that’s pretty much it.”

Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi acknowledged that Johnson was at the meeting but told the Tribune the superintendent “strongly disagrees” with Valdez’s characterization of the briefing. Guglielmi declined to elaborate and Johnson referred questions to the spokesman.

The McDonald shooting video shows VanDyke pumping 16 shots into the teenager’s body even though McDonald, who was armed with a knife, was walking away from him at the time.

The Inspector General has recommended that Johnson fire several officers who lied about the circumstances of the shooting that night. The Chicago Sun Times reports that

Johnson has moved to fire only five of the 15 officers recommended for discipline for allegedly covering up or bungling the investigation into the McDonald shooting, but Johnson is still weighing discipline against four of those cops. Van Dyke is currently facing murder charges in connection with the incident.

Cop who fatally shot Kajuan Raye was under investigation in 2004

Dec 13, 2016 | WLSAM Staff

(CHICAGO) Chicago Police Officer John Poulos was cleared of the fatal shooting of an unarmed burglary suspect in 2013, and he is under investigation in the fatal shooting last month of an unarmed teenager in West Englewood. Chicago Police investigators now want to know why the department never closed a 2004 internal affairs investigation that could have cost Poulos his badge more than a decade ago, the Sun-Times is reporting.

CPD Supt. Eddie Johnson has ordered an audit to determine why the 2004 investigation of Poulos’ possible ownership interest in a bar, a violation of department policy, has never been closed.

Owning or working at an establishment that sells alcohol is a firing offense, but Poulos went on disability shortly after the department’s Internal Affairs Division began looking at his ownership of a bar in 2004. The investigation apparently went dormant because Poulos stayed off the job for another seven years, according to department sources.

The still-open case was discovered when the department began investigation Poulos’ fatal shooting in November of 19-year-old Kajuan Raye, CPD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said.

“Following last month’s police involved shooting, CPD began its customary review of the sergeant’s personnel history, including the 2004 Internal Affairs investigation into the sergeant’s ownership of an establishment that sells alcohol,” Guglielmi said in a statement. “This investigation was never concluded under prior police administrations and there are incomplete details and unanswered questions about that case.”

The investigation apparently didn’t restart when Poulos returned to active duty with the department in 2011, and didn’t raise any red flags when he was investigated in 2013 for shooting Rickey Roselle, a burglary suspect Poulos confronted after leaving Gamekeepers, an Old Town bar he said at the time was owned by his family.

It is not clear what the department can do if it determines that Poulos did have a stake in the bar in 2004, or if and when he divested himself from the business.

Spyridon Poulos is listed as the president of the corporation that owns Gamekeepers, a business that has existed since 1974. The bar’s website says it opened in 1984.

IPRA cleared Poulos of wrongdoing in the shooting, and the veteran officer was made sergeant a year later, a merit promotion awarded by his then-Commander, Kevin Navarro, who now is Johnson’s top deputy. Merit promotions are awarded by superior officers and aren’t based on an officer’s performance on civil service exams.

Officer John Poulos was stripped of his police powers last month, after he fatally shot Kajuan Raye in the back, after he claimed the teen twice pointed a gun at him during a foot chase in West Englewood.
When a candidate is nominated for a merit promotion, the department’s Human Resources division reviews their disciplinary history, but only looks for sustained complaints as far back as five years.

The department has budgeted for a new computer system to track disciplinary actions and complaints, which will go online in 2017, Guglielmi said.

“In 2017, CPD will begin implementing case management and early intervention systems that will keep track of officers’ personnel activity and help prevent instances like this in the future,” Guglielmi said.

According to records from the Independent Police Review Authority, the city agency that investigates police shootings and misconduct allegations, Poulos had eaten at the bar and left carrying his brother’s gun, when he saw Rozelle inside a vacant building near the bar. Poulos said his brother carried a gun for his work as a private investigator, and asked his brother to take the weapon home when he left the bar.

Poulos said he saw Rozelle burglarizing a vacant apartment next door to the bar, scuffled with Rozelle, and shot him twice when he appeared to be reaching for a gun. Police found no gun on Rozelle’s body, but did note that he was wearing a metallic wristwatch.

Poulos was stripped of his police powers last month, after he fatally shot Raye in the back, after he claims the teen twice pointed a gun at him during a foot chase in West Englewood.

— Chicago Sun-Times

CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson talks about his department’s efforts to curb gun violence

Dec 7, 2016 | WLSAM Staff

CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson joins the show to talk about and his efforts to find a way to decrease the amount of gun offenders on the street in the city.

Eddie Johnson with Big John and Ray: More cops just “a piece of the puzzle.”

Sep 23, 2016 | WLS-AM Staff

By John Dempsey, WLS-AM News

(CHICAGO) Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson was on WLS this morning, talking about Mayor Emanuel’s multi-faceted crime-fighting strategy. Johnson told “The Big John and Ray Show” that he agrees with Emanuel that while the city more needs police officers , police are not the only answer. “You know these extra officers and the police in general, you know we’re a piece of this puzzle but not the entire puzzle. The violence in our city and the crime overall is a result of socio-economic ills , not the police department. So we have to fix the other parts of it in order for this crime to come down, but I will say this, the additional officers will give us a bit of relief.”

Listen to Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson on WLS’ Big John and Ray Show here.

In his long awaited crime control speech Thursday night, Emanuel pledged to hire more officers, but was not clear on how the city would pay for them. Johnson told WLS he does not have that answer either, but he says he’s not supposed to. “You know, I fight crime” Johnson said, “At the end of the day you know, I am a cop. So that’s what I do, so the financial part of it you know, I’ll leave it to the Mayor and his smart people over there at the hall. He has assured me that we’ll have those resources but how they’re paying for it, I couldn’t tell you.”

In his speech at Malcolm X college, Emanuel also talked about implementing a three year mentoring program to provide support to over 7,000 at-risk youth in Chicago. The Mayor also called on Illinois lawmakers to toughen penalties for gun crimes, something black lawmakers from Chicago have thwarted in the past, out of concern that harsher gun laws would unfairly target African-Americans.

Eddie Johnson told WLS he is currently talking with those lawmakers about drafting a law that would address the real need the city has to make sure repeat offenders are kept behind bars for longer periods of time. “I think that the legislators are coming around now because before we didn’t have concealed carry and you know the sentencing that I’m looking for is not mandatory. It’s focused at repeat gun offenders so that’s not casting a net over the minority population. It’s more like using a spear to focus on the guys that are consistently telling us they don’t want to play by the rules of society. The way we want it to go is that repeat gun offenders would be sentenced on the mid to high end range of sentencing as opposed to giving them lighter sentences.”

During the WLS interview, Johnson admitted that police morale has suffered in recent months. “We swore an oath to protect the citizens of Chicago and I see the rank and file doing that, however I will say this; the level of disrespect and then just the scrutiny going on across the country in terms of law enforcement is tough. They are keenly aware of that and no one wants to be the next viral video and let’s face facts. They’re human, they have families to take care of and careers so they are aware of what’s going on but they are still engaged and our gun arrests bear that out, but they are concerned about what’s going on.”

Johnson ended the interview by saying he has no regrets about taking the Superintendent’s job, despite the pressure and stress. “You know I enjoy my job. I have a chance to make real change and impact the citizens of Chicago for the better and also the rank and file, so I love what I do.”

@ 2016 WLS-AM News

The Latest: Police officers to get de-escalation training

Sep 20, 2016 | WLSAM Staff

(CHICAGO) Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson says mandatory de-escalating training of city’s police officers is designed to teach them how to deal with tense situations “without the use of deadly force whenever possible.”

Johnson on Monday discussed the training at the city’s police academy. It is among several department reforms following the fatal shooting of teenager Laquan McDonald, who was shot 16 times by police. McDonald, a black 17-year-old, was fatally shot in 2014 by a white police officer, who’s since been charged with murder.

Johnson says the de-escalation training shows the public the department is doing everything it can to resolve conflicts peacefully.

Sgt. Larry Snelling, a lead instructor in de-escalation, said trainers will draw on real-life examples from days or weeks before of police who ended up using force. He says if Monday morning quarterbacking isn’t taking place, “we’re not getting better.”

Chicago police: All patrol officers to wear body cams by ’18

Sep 19, 2016 | WLSAM Staff

(CHICAGO) The Chicago Police Department says it’ll expand the use of body cameras to include all officers on patrol within two years.

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson announced the plan Sunday and says numbers of body cameras will increase by several thousand to give all patrol officers access to them by 2018. The expansion is expected to cost around $8 million

Police launched a body-cam pilot program in 2015 and it currently includes seven of 22 city police districts. Disputed police shootings since then increased pressure to make officers more accountable, including by recording more interactions with the public.

At least one officer’s body camera didn’t appear to be recording during a fatal July shooting of 18-year-old Paul O’Neal. That raised questions about whether officers can switch the cameras off intentionally.

Johnson seeks to remove man from CPD’s list of potential officers

Sep 13, 2016 | WLSAM Staff

(CHICAGO) Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson is seeking to remove a man from the department’s list of potential future police officers, citing his previous arrests in incidents of alleged domestic violence.

In a Monday Circuit Court filing, Johnson said the city’s Board of Human Resources incorrectly reversed the police department’s April 2015 decision to remove a man from its list of people eligible to become probationary police officers.

The man is not currently on the city’s payroll.

Johnson said the police department initially removed the man from consideration because he had twice previously been arrested in incidents of domestic violence, once in 2003 and again in 2014.

In the first instance, the man grabbed his mother’s neck and threw her to the ground, according to the filing. In the second, he allegedly punched his female roommate in the head and face as the two were in his car.

Johnson stated that “despite the weight of the evidence,” the city’s Board of Human Resources recommended that the man should be restored to the department’s eligibility list.

Salvador A. Cicero, chairman of the Board of Human Resources, declined to comment on the filing.

8-5-16 – Howell In 60

Aug 5, 2016 | WLSAM Staff

Video related to the fatal shooting of Paul O’Neal by Chicago police will be released later today.

Eddie Johnson has already said the video shows police policy was violated. Indiana Gov.

Mike Pence on Thursday fielded one of the toughest questions he’s faced as Donald Trump’s running mate from an 11-year-old.

Plus, a Chicago-area police officer and a couple of veterinarians helped rescue a dog that was mistreated and near death.

CPD superintendent talks retired officer out of barricade

May 18, 2016 | WLSAM Staff

(CHICAGO) A retired Chicago Police officer who barricaded herself inside a South Shore neighborhood home Tuesday evening came out peacefully after meeting with CPD Supt. Eddie Johnson, police said.

Someone called police about 4:15 p.m. for a well-being check on the former officer, a woman in her 50s who was dealing with “personal hardships” at the home in the 7700 block of South Paxton, police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said.

When officers arrived, she refused to come out and threatened to harm herself, he said.

SWAT team members responded along with negotiators, and the woman said she wanted to talk to Johnson, according to police.

Johnson left a community meeting downtown to go to the house about 8:30 p.m. He went inside to talk to the woman, who came outside with him about 9:40 p.m., Guglielmi said.

Johnson went with her to Rush University Medical Center, where she was being evaluated Tuesday night.

Multiple weapons were recovered at the scene, police said.

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