Heads of 3 Chicago agencies step down on tumultuous day

It was a tumultuous day in Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration as the heads of three key Chicago agencies and departments resigned their posts.

Jose Tirado, executive director of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, is “transitioning out of his position,” Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office announced Thursday.

In addition, Chicago Department of Aviation Commissioner Jamie Rhee announced her pending retirement, and Civilian Office of Police Accountability Chief Administrator Andrea Kersten resigned her post, according to press releases.

The departures leave Johnson in position to make appointments to oversee the city’s airports, police accountability efforts and emergency responses. They also come just days after he spoke candidly at a faith event about the status of his administration, telling attendees he wished he had "cleaned house faster" after taking office.

"If you ain’t with us, you just gotta go," he said. "So now I’m in a position now where I’ll be making some decisions in the days to come – because playing nice with other people who ain’t about us, it’s just a wasted exercise."

Tirado’s resignation had been planned in early January, according to a statement sent out by the mayor’s office Thursday. Tirado is stepping down to accept a position within the office of Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke, according to officials.

“I was overjoyed when he accepted our job offer last month, and appreciated his professionalism in wanting to take appropriate time to transition responsibilities from OEMC,” O’Neill Burke said in a statement. “I am looking forward to Jose putting his substantial law enforcement and public safety background to work leading our gun crimes investigations unit, which will be so critical to our efforts to get machineguns, 'switches,' ghost guns, and other dangerous illegal firearms off the street.”

Kersten's resignation is effective immediately, while Rhee will leave her post in April, according to officials.

Tirado had been appointed director of the OEMC in Dec. 2023 by Johnson, and has worked in various roles in the city for more than three decades, including a stint as the chief of counterterrorism operations with the Chicago Police Department.

"On behalf of our city, I want to thank Jose Tirado for his years of dedicated service and commitment to community safety," Johnson said. "During his tenure, thanks to his leadership and our collaborative approaches, our city began to see reductions in crime across all categories and we successfully hosted the 2024 Democratic National Convention and several other large-scale events and conventions.

Tirado expressed gratitude to Johnson and to first responders in the city as he prepares to step away from his role.

“I want to thank Mayor Johnson and his administration, the staff at OEMC, the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Fire Department for their commitment to our residents and the opportunity to serve alongside them during this summer’s Democratic Convention among many other events and missions,” he said.

OEMC is tasked with preparing for emergency situations, implementing responses to disasters, and mitigating the impacts of disasters and emergencies, according to its website.

Kersten had been named the head of COPA by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot in May 2021 after the resignation of former administrator Sydney Roberts.

Kersten was later appointed to the role on a full-time basis.

“Over the last four years, it has been a privilege to lead this agency in the service of all Chicagoans and I am incredibly proud of the transformative work that has been accomplished during my tenure,” she said in a statement. “COPA has established itself as a truly independent and transparent voice in Chicago’s broader community safety system, which is imperative in building trust in police accountability.

COPA is an independent agency that investigates complaints “regarding allegations of misconduct by” Chicago police officers. They are staffed by civilian investigators, and also investigate instances involving officers using firearms and other situations, according to their website.

Rhee was appointed to her post at the head of the Chicago Department of Aviation in 2018 by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and oversaw massive renovation work at both Midway and O’Hare airports.

“I am eternally grateful for the opportunities that have been afforded to me and am extremely proud of the work that’s been accomplished to move our city and our airports forward,” she said in a statement. “I would like to thank my team at the Department of Aviation and my colleagues for their incredible dedication to public service.”  

Additionally, Joe Calvello, Johnson's chief strategist, also announced his departure Thursday.

"Working for Mayor Brandon Johnson and the City of Chicago has been an absolute privilege. It has been an honor to go to City Hall every day and fight for Chicago's working class. I am especially proud of the work we did around the Democratic National Convention. When the world's eyes were on Chicago, we showed it to be a world-class city. While it was not easy to make the decision to leave, I am excited to start my next chapter working at the intersection of professional sports and organized labor. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity I had to work for the great people of Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson," Calvello said.