Former Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy joined Chicago’s Morning Answer with Amy Jacobson and Jim Iuorio to discuss policing in Chicago, recent policy developments, and the long-term effects of criminal justice reform under Governor J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson. McCarthy, now chief of police in Willow Springs, offered both candid assessments and personal insight, especially in the wake of the tragic death of Officer Krystal Rivera.
McCarthy described the circumstances surrounding Rivera’s death during a tactical operation in Chatham earlier this month. According to his understanding, Rivera was unintentionally shot by a fellow officer during a high-pressure situation after a suspect ran into an apartment and another person inside allegedly aimed a rifle at police. Two individuals are facing charges in connection with the incident, but McCarthy expressed frustration that neither is being charged with murder, a result he attributed to changes under Illinois’s SAFE-T Act, which significantly narrowed the state’s felony murder rule.
“This is the result of bad policy,” McCarthy said. “The original offender set off a chain of events, but under the new law, he won’t face the most serious consequences.”
The SAFE-T Act, passed in 2021 and championed by Governor Pritzker, has been a consistent source of controversy. McCarthy criticized the rushed nature of the legislation’s passage and the lack of public understanding of its full implications. He argued that many of the issues now being felt across the state—like increased violent crime and the early release of dangerous offenders—are tied directly to this reform.
Jacobson and Iuorio pointed to other recent high-profile crimes, including a brutal sexual assault on a Blue Line train, as examples of systemic failure. McCarthy agreed, stating that such crimes are too often committed by individuals who should not have been free under prior standards.
The conversation also turned toward Chicago politics, particularly Mayor Brandon Johnson’s recent veto of a teen curfew ordinance that would have empowered police to break up large gatherings more effectively. McCarthy criticized the mayor for downplaying the seriousness of what he called “mob actions,” noting that the term “teen takeovers” is a mischaracterization of what are often violent or destructive incidents. He questioned the administration’s resistance to giving law enforcement more tools to proactively prevent these events.
“He told us who he was during the campaign,” Iuorio noted, referencing Johnson’s support for defunding the police and eliminating cash bail. McCarthy echoed that sentiment, attributing Johnson’s victory to the political machine behind him rather than widespread public support. He pointed to groups like SEIU and the Chicago Teachers Union as driving forces that compelled support for Johnson internally, even when many within those organizations may not have supported him privately.
Looking ahead, McCarthy expressed skepticism that real change can come without dismantling the political structures that empower what he called “crime-friendly policies.” He emphasized the need for more practical and centrist approaches to public safety, recalling his own background growing up among working-class Democratic families in New York—people he says would no longer recognize today’s party.
The interview closed with reflections on training and officer response under stress. McCarthy explained that even with proper training, officers may react unpredictably in high-stress scenarios, noting that trauma and intense pressure can lead to memory lapses and instinctual rather than procedural responses.
While McCarthy praised his current post in Willow Springs—where crime is minimal and civic tensions are low—he warned against complacency and called for renewed public support for law enforcement. His remarks added to a growing chorus of concern over the direction of criminal justice policy in Illinois, highlighting the tension between reform efforts and public safety outcomes.