Walter Katz

Walter Katz brings over three decades of experience improving community safety and criminal justice, spanning government, private sector, and philanthropic leadership.  He began his career as a public defender in Southern California and later transitioned to roles in police oversight, serving as a deputy inspector general in Los Angeles County and later as the independent police auditor appointed by the San Jose City Council.

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Katz returned to his hometown of Chicago, where he served as deputy chief of staff for public safety in Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration. He spearheaded crime reduction and police reform efforts and played a key role in negotiating the 2019 consent decree, the adoption of body-worn cameras, and enhancing police intelligence capabilities.   

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Following his tenure in the mayor's office, Katz lent his expertise to a developer of early intervention software, advising jurisdictions across the US on aligning policy and technology with 21st Century policing practices. Later, as vice president of criminal justice at Arnold Ventures, Katz oversaw a philanthropic portfolio focused on research and initiatives in gun violence reduction and policing that has shaped state and federal policy. He also directed impact investments in early-stage companies specializing in technologies such as body-worn camera analytics and DNA forensics.  

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Katz has influenced the discourse on policing and community relations through his publications in prestigious journals, including the Harvard Law Review, and for high impact organizations, such as the Federal Reserve Banks.  

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