Dr. Wayne Johnson to speak at
Harper College reception
PALATINE, IL – From Chicago’s
original gangsters to the Outfit’s decline in recent years, Dr. Wayne Johnson
is well-versed in the organized crime that long ensnared the city. Now
coordinator of Harper College’s law enforcement programs and widely considered
a top authority on the subject, Johnson has written A History of Violence: An
Encyclopedia of 1,400 Chicago Mob Murders.
Harper will host a reception celebrating the
book launch at noon Tuesday, April 15, in the lower level of the library on the
College’s main campus, 1200 W. Algonquin Road, Palatine. Johnson will give a
presentation on the state of organized crime in Chicago followed by a brief
question-and-answer session and book signing. The event is open to the public.
The 300-plus page tome is the product of
painstaking research into newspaper articles, police reports, coroners’ reports
and other archives over a 14-year period.
“I really wanted to dig in on this because
every one of these cases deserves to be investigated and solved,” Johnson said.
“To let them just disappear into history would be a disservice to everyone
involved.”
Johnson credits two Harper students for their
contributions. Daniella Boyd designed the cover art for A History of Violence
by reproducing in charcoal a real morgue photo of Sam Giancana, one of the most
notorious mob bosses in history. Jackie Cooney wrote a research paper that led
Johnson to discover a group of killings that fit the book’s criteria.
“Coming from someone who has fought in the
trenches against Chicago’s wise guys, Johnson’s new contribution will be the
go-to reference on Outfit violence for years to come,” said Gus Russo, author
of The Outfit and Supermob.
Media Note: Wayne Johnson is available for
interviews. For more information, please contact Kim Pohl, Media Relations
Manager, at 847.925.6159 or kpohl@harpercollege.edu.
WAYNE JOHNSON
Wayne A. Johnson served on the
Chicago Police Department for 25 years and in his last assignment, supervised
the Analytical Unit of the Intelligence Section, Organized Crime Division. He
was then appointed Chief Investigator for the legendary Chicago Crime
Commission, holding the position originally created by celebrated criminal
investigator Virgil Peterson. Johnson investigated and monitored the Chicago
Mob during his five years at the Commission. His work led to his recruitment as
the only Superintendent of Police/Inspector General for the town of Cicero.
Johnson earned his Doctor of Education degree from Northern Illinois University
and Master of Science degree in Criminal-Social Justice from Lewis University
in Romeoville. He now serves as associate professor and program coordinator of
Law Enforcement programs at Harper College. Johnson is a nationally recognized
investigative and educational consultant for law enforcement and the security
industry and has lectured extensively on organized crime, homicide
investigations, criminal profiling, violence in the workplace and gang crimes.