By David Heinzmann, The Chicago Tribune
In a major shakeup of his top command staff, police Supt. Philip Cline named new leaders Thursday in several key investigative positions, as well as a new district commander in one of the city’s most violent areas--Englewood.
A week after the Chicago City Council confirmed him to lead the Police Department, Cline announced 20 promotions and lateral moves in another 14 command positions.
Among the most important are top spots in the detective and investigations command.
Hiram Grau, 55, who had sought the superintendent’s job, was named deputy superintendent of the bureau of investigative services, which oversees the detective and organized crime divisions.
James Molloy was named the new chief of detectives, a post that has not been permanently filled since Cline left it last April for a brief stop in the 1st deputy superintendent’s job before Mayor Richard M. Daley named him to succeed retired Supt. Terry Hillard.
Molloy, 52, said his priority “will be the same as the superintendent’s, to bring homicides down and make sure we’re doing everything we can.”
Chicago had 650 murders last year, second in the nation. But the homicide rate here far outpaces New York City and Los Angeles, which have much larger populations.
Molloy was assistant deputy superintendent in the Office of Management Accountability. But he has a long history as a detective, including working as a lieutenant in the violent crimes division of the Harrison Area on the West Side.
Also Thursday, Cline removed Englewood District Cmdr. Frank Trigg a week after community leaders in the South Side neighborhood rallied to support him after hearing rumors he might be moved.
Replacing Trigg is Tina Skahill, 43, a department lawyer and 21-year veteran who also has been a patrol officer and youth officer. She leaves the legal affairs office, where she has been the commanding officer.
Skahill showed up at the afternoon-shift roll call at her new district Thursday to introduce herself to the officers.
She has not previously worked in the Englewood District but said she understands two fundamental issues about the area--it is a tight-knight community and it suffers from one of the worst violent-crime problems in the city.
“The very first thing is for me to get to know the community and the officers,” she said. “If we’re going to be partners in this I’ve got to know everyone. That includes the community. It’s got to include the community.”
Skahill said she understands and respects community concerns about Trigg’s removal from the job.
“Their concerns are valid,” she said. “Cmdr. Trigg is a terrific man, a terrific officer and was a terrific commander. Naturally, they’re going to be concerned because they don’t know me. My job is for them to get to know me.”
Trigg, 54, will become commander of the preventive programs and neighborhood relations division.
Cline said he mapped out the changes with 1st Deputy Supt. Dana Starks.
Of the 20 promotions, five went to women, five to blacks and two to Hispanics.
Other changes include:
Deputy Supt. Jerry Robinson, 59, will run the bureau of staff services. Deputy Supt. Thomas Byrne, 54, will run crime strategy and accountability.
Cmdr. Wayne Wiberg, 59, is leaving the narcotics and gang investigation section to be commander of the education and training division, working for new Assistant Deputy Supt. William Shaver to oversee the Police Training Academy. John Risley, 50, leaves his post as commander of the Central District, which covers downtown, to be deputy chief of narcotics and gang investigations.
Richard Stevens, 60, takes over as chief of the organized crime division, leaving his post as deputy chief of the patrol division.
Harrison Area detective Cmdr. Rich Kobel, 53, was promoted to deputy chief of detectives. He’ll be replaced by Cmdr. Steve Peterson, 53, who has been commander of airport law enforcement.