Mayor Johnson Announces New Hires for Community Safety and Transportation

Appointments include a new deputy mayor for community safety and a new CDOT commissioner.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 4:54pm

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Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago announced a series of new hires on Wednesday, including Emmanuel Andre as the new deputy mayor for community safety and William Cheaks, Jr. as the new commissioner of the Chicago Department of Transportation. The mayor also announced seven other new positions in his administration.

Why it matters

The appointments come after the abrupt firing of the previous deputy mayor for community safety, Garien Gatewood, and the acting CDOT commissioner, Craig Turner. The new hires are seen as key to Johnson's efforts to address public safety and transportation issues in the city.

The details

Emmanuel Andre, an attorney who previously worked in the Cook County Public Defender's Office, will serve as the new deputy mayor for community safety. William Cheaks, Jr., a City Hall veteran with over 40 years of experience, will take over as the new CDOT commissioner, a position that requires City Council approval. The mayor also announced seven other new hires for positions in his administration.

  • Garien Gatewood was abruptly fired from the deputy mayor for community safety role last month.
  • Manuel Whitfield, Gatewood's top deputy and the director of violence prevention and community safety, was also fired.

The players

Emmanuel Andre

An attorney who most recently served as a senior member of the Cook County Public Defender's Office, where he built support systems for young people navigating the court system and focused on those 'most impacted by systemic harm.' He also helped expand Cook County's restorative justice community courts and co-founded Circles and Ciphers, a nonprofit focused on restorative justice and community-based approaches to safety.

Garien Gatewood

The previous deputy mayor for community safety, who was abruptly fired from the post last month. He had been serving in the role since Johnson took office and created the job in May 2023. Gatewood oversaw the community safety plan Johnson credits with historic drops in violent crime.

Manuel Whitfield

The former top deputy to Garien Gatewood, who was the director of violence prevention and community safety. Whitfield was also fired along with Gatewood.

William Cheaks, Jr.

The new commissioner of the Chicago Department of Transportation, a City Hall veteran with more than four decades of experience 'managing large-scale infrastructure and public operations.' He most recently served as managing deputy commissioner at the Department of Water Management.

Craig Turner

The previous acting commissioner of the Chicago Department of Transportation, who has been elevated to serve in that role since last July. He previously served as the department's first deputy commissioner for over two years.

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What’s next

The appointment of William Cheaks, Jr. as the new CDOT commissioner will require City Council approval.

The takeaway

The new hires announced by Mayor Johnson are seen as key to his efforts to address public safety and transportation issues in Chicago, following the abrupt departures of the previous deputy mayor for community safety and the acting CDOT commissioner.