David Brown resigning as Chicago Police Department superintendent

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown will resign his position on March 16.

Lightfoot made the announcement in a statement Wednesday afternoon, saying Brown informed her of his resignation today.

"I accepted his resignation and want to commend him for his accomplishments not just for the department but the entire city, including setting a record number of illegal gun recoveries for two consecutive years; leading a double digit reduction in violent crime in 2022; significant, consistent progress on the consent decree; standing up a full time recruitment team that yielded over 950 new hires last year; significantly expanding the resources for officer wellness; and promoting more women to the senior exempt ranks than ever before in the history of the department," the statement read. "I personally want to thank him for his service to our city."

Brown said in a statement he has accepted a job as COO of Loncar Lyon Jenkins, a personal injury law firm in Texas.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to work alongside the brave men and women of the Chicago Police Department. I will continue to pray that all officers return home to their families safe at the end of their shift. May the Good Lord bless the city of Chicago and the men and women who serve and protect this great city," Brown said in a statement.

Brown began serving as superintendent on April 22, 2020. He turns 63 in September, which is also the mandatory CPD retirement age.

Before joining CPD, Brown had a long career with the Dallas Police Department.

Rumors of Brown's departure began swirling in early February when Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan announced he was retiring from the department to move into the private sector.

READ MORE: Chicago Police Department's future leadership uncertain as chief resigns, rumors swirl around supt.

At the time, sources told ABC7 Brown wanted to leave in January, but agreed to stay on until April 1, after the mayoral election. He frequently came under fire during the campaign from all the mayoral candidates except one: Lightfoot, who had hired him.

Lightfoot said First Deputy Eric Carter will serve as interim superintendent after Brown leaves until a new mayor is sworn in. Under new rules, a relatively new civilian body, he Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, will come up with a short list of superintendent candidates and the next mayor must then choose from that list.

Brandon Johnson released a statement, saying, "The next superintendent of the Chicago Police Department must be as fully committed to the health and safety of all Chicagoans as I am, and to immediately meeting all requirements of the federal consent decree while addressing the root causes of crime. As mayor, my preference will be to appoint someone from within the current ranks of the Department, but most important is appointing the right person for the job - someone who is collaborative, competent and compassionate, and who truly cares about protecting and serving the people of our city."

Paul Vallas released a statement, saying, "Superintendent Brown failed to make our city safer and his resignation is a positive step forward. As Mayor, I will appoint a new police superintendent and command team from within CPD that will prioritize community policing, end the failed friends and family promotion system and invest in building trust between the police and our communities. Public safety is a civil right and as Mayor I will work with CPD and all of our communities to make Chicago the safest big city in America."