Mayor Emanuel Taps Richard Ford II As New Fire Commissioner
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Weeks after Jose Santiago retired as head of the Chicago Fire Department, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age, Mayor Rahm Emanuel has announced he is appointing First Deputy Commissioner Richard Ford II as the next commissioner.
Emanuel's office confirmed Ford will be nominated as the next commissioner of the Chicago Fire Department. The appointment must be confirmed by the City Council.
Santiago left the department at the end of August, after turning 63 years old, reaching the mandatory retirement age for firefighters.
A 35-year veteran of the Fire Department, Ford has been second in command since February 2016. His time in the top spot might be limited, as Emanuel is not running for another term, and his successor as mayor might choose someone else to run the department under a new administration at City Hall.
