T. John Cunningham

T. John Cunningham is an assistant commissioner for the Department of Public Safety. and acting director for ECN. 

Cunningham has more than 25 years of public safety experience and most recently served as the fire chief and emergency management director for the city of Brooklyn Park. Under his leadership, the department has more than doubled its full-time firefighting force, replaced an aging fleet, created a full-time firefighter cadet academy, expanded its arson investigation capabilities and developed a plan to modernize the city's fire stations. He was also the president of the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association for three terms.

Prior to moving to Minnesota in 2009 to serve as the Elk River fire chief, Cunningham was a volunteer firefighter in Greenwich, Conn., and held the rank of district chief. He was also a member of the town's technical rescue and dive team, and a specialist with the state's urban search and rescue team.

Cunningham earned a Bachelor of Science in business management from Fairfield University and a Master of Science in homeland security leadership from the University of Connecticut. He also holds a certificate in collaborative​ leadership in homeland security from the University of Connecticut.