The board opened the application process Nov. 21 after then-Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson announced plans to retire by the end of the year. Lightfoot announced his temporary successor would be former Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck. But Beck ended up starting the temporary job as Chicago’s top cop when Lightfoot fired Johnson in early December, saying he had intentionally misled her about his conduct after a late weeknight out in October when he was found asleep in his running vehicle near his South Side home.