Dr. Laura Kunard has informed the Office of Inspector General that she plans to return to her role as a senior research scientist for CNA, a non–profit research organization that works on policing initiatives for the United States Justice Department. She will continue her work as an Associate Monitor for the Albuquerque Police Department’s court–ordered settlement agreement. Upon her return to CNA, she will have significant new responsibilities in Albuquerque due to a recent mayoral transition.
Dr. Kunard was confirmed by the City of Chicago City Council as the Deputy Inspector General for Public Safety in April of 2017 and began her position in late June. She has led OIG’s effort to stand up the new Public Safety section, including hiring and training the staff, building its infrastructure, and identifying priorities for projects in conjunction with the Inspector General.
“It was an honor and a privilege to serve the city I have called home for 20 years in a field that I love dearly. I believe the Public Safety section in the Inspector General’s office is well on its way to doing groundbreaking work that will create a newfound accountability in Chicago,” Dr. Kunard said.
Dr. Kunard is deeply committed to the important work of police reform and is looking forward to resuming that work nationally, noted Inspector General Joe Ferguson. “We thank Laura for her service and the public can expect to see the fruits of the team she has built reflected in work and public-facing initiatives in the coming weeks,” Ferguson said.
As per the Public Safety Ordinance passed by the City Council, the Inspector General will engage a nationally recognized organization with expertise in government oversight to perform a nationwide search. Afterward, the Inspector General will select and nominate the most qualified candidate for approval by the City Council. In the interim, the Inspector General will lead the Public Safety section, which will publish its plan for first generation projects in the coming weeks.
Dr. Kunard’s resignation will be effective January 19, 2018.
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About Office of Inspector General
The mission of the independent and nonpartisan City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) is to promote economy, effectiveness, efficiency, and integrity by identifying corruption, waste, and mismanagement in City government. OIG is a watchdog for the taxpayers of the City and has jurisdiction to conduct inquiries into most aspects of City government. If you see misconduct, mismanagement, ineffectiveness, or inefficiency, we need to hear from you.
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