Superintendent David Brown

Superintendent David Brown

David O. Brown joined the Chicago Police Department in April 2020, becoming CPD's 63^rd Superintendent. He brings more than 30 years of law enforcement experience to Chicago and is nationally recognized for his expertise in public safety, community policing and reform.

Since joining CPD, Brown has prioritized community engagement and building trust in Chicago's communities. As part of this effort, the Department launched multiple initiatives focused on making the city's neighborhoods safer through community partnership. This includes the creation of the citywide Community Safety Team, which brings officers into areas with higher levels of crime. In addition to conducting enforcement, these officers regularly work with community-based organizations, faith leaders and residents to reduce violence and build community trust.

Earlier this year, Brown also announced CPD's new liaison initiative, which is an extension of the Civil Rights Unit. As part of this initiative LGBTQ+, homeless, immigrant and religious liaisons work citywide to advocate, support and build trust with marginalized communities.

Under Brown's leadership, CPD has continued to focus on enforcement efforts aimed at curbing the recent spike in gun violence seen in Chicago and nationwide. This includes creating the Gun Investigations Team, which became operational in July 2021 to focus solely on disrupting the flow of guns and holding gun traffickers accountable through strengthened prosecutorial partnerships. The Department also launched the Critical Incident Response team last year to address large-scale gatherings and protect all individuals participating in First Amendment activity.

Officer wellness has also been a top priority for Brown, who has worked to bolster wellness resources available to Department members and shatter the stigma around seeking help. In addition to bringing in a Senior Advisor of Wellness to streamline wellness efforts, CPD has been proactively bringing wellness resources directly to officers, rather than wait for officers to seek help.

Brown previously served as Chief of the Dallas Police Department from 2010-2016. He is also the author of a memoir Call to Rise.