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Black And Latino Aldermen Back Rahm's Surprise Choice For Top Cop

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Hours before Mayor Rahm Emanuel formally announced his selection of Chicago Police Chief of Patrol Eddie Johnson as the new interim superintendent, the leaders of the City Council's Black and Latino caucuses threw their full support behind the decision.

The mayor has rejected the three finalists sent to him by the Chicago Police Board after a nationwide search for the city's next top cop, and will announce Johnson as his choice Monday afternoon.

By law, the mayor is supposed to pick from the Police Board's candidates.

It is believed that Emanuel will name Johnson as interim superintendent, replacing John Escalante, and then call for a new search with Johnson being on the Police Board's next list.

Meantime, Leaders of the City Council's Black and Latino Caucuses presented a united front Monday morning, in a show of support for Johnson's appointment as the city's next top cop.

Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6th), who chairs the City Council Black Caucus, said Johnson was a district commander in his ward, and is well-known and respected.

"I've had opportunity, multiple opportunities, to speak to Eddie Johnson on a variety of issues. I believe that if he's given the opportunity and given the resources and the leverage that he needs to do things in the department, I think he will do them. We think he's a gentleman that can do them," he said.

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Ald. George Cardenas (12th), chair of the Latino Caucus, who had previously said current Interim Supt. John Escalante should get the job full-time, nevertheless agreed Johnson fits the bill for what's needed to run the Police Department.

"When you have African Americans and Hispanics working together, and the mayor taking that advice, and pushing that out with the best candidate, how can we not support that?" he said.

Cardenas said Latino police officers he has spoken to have praised Johnson.

"Eddie Johnson fits the bill, according to the people that I'm talking to," he said. "We all should be rejoicing in the fact that we found somebody that we all can find common ground, and push forward, and help that person succeed."

Sawyer rejected any suggestion a department outsider is needed to bring significant changes to existing policies in the wake of the Laquan McDonald shooting and other scandals.

"Let's just go back to our last two superintendents, who were both outsiders, and we did not get the change that we desired. I believe that if given the opportunity, Deputy Chief Johnson will be that transformative change, but it's up to us to push him," he said.

Emanuel isn't the first mayor to make an end-run around the Police Board's selection process. Mayor Richard M. Daley made a similar move in 2007 when he chose Jody Weis to replace Phil Cline.

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