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Chief Public Safety Officer
Ernest Cato III | Chief of Public Safety
Ernest Cato III was appointed Chief Public Safety Officer in 2023. Chief Cato is responsible for oversight of Operations and the Parole Division.
Chief Cato retired from the Chicago Police Department after serving 32 years. In his last assignment, he served as the Chief of the Bureau of Counterterrorism, focusing on long-term Gang and Narcotics Investigations, providing resources and organization for large-scale city events, and creating citywide missions and deployment plans to curb violence with intelligence-led proactive approaches. Previously, Chief Cato served as Deputy Chief of Area Four-Bureau of Patrol, overseeing three Tier 1 police districts, the Area Community Engagement and Support Team, and citywide Intervention Connections. He also served on the Use of Force Working Group to assist in reform measures. Chief Cato previously served as the District Commander of the 015th District in Chicago. As Commander, he created and implemented multiple groundbreaking programs, such as the Austin Response Team, and collaborated with community organizations. He also previously served as the Tactical Lieutenant, overseeing multiple tactical teams in the 015th District.
His career highlights also include assisting in the development of a Gang Violence Reduction Strategy and detailing as a Supervisor of Investigations to the City of Chicago Office of Inspector General, and serving the United States Department of State in South Africa, where he consulted with the local government and police in building community policing programs. Chief Cato earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and master's degree in public safety administration from Lewis University.