Was the Chicago Chief of Police Scapegoated in the Laquan McDonald Shooting?

Anyone -- upon seeing the video of Laquan McDonald being shot to death by a Chicago cop -- probably can't believe it took 13 months to charge Officer Jason Van Dyke with murder; especially during this time of heightened racially charged attitudes towards police shootings and brutality.

So, obviously, simply charging the cop with murder wasn't enough.  Someone in a position of  authority, had to pay. Thus, Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy had to go.  Not Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who appointed McCarthy just 3 years before Laquan's death.  Not the Cook County State's Attorney, Anita Alvarez, who sat on the McDonald case for a year, and then hurriedly filed a murder charge against Van Dyke just minutes before the damning dash-cam video became public.

In my opinion, the firing of McCarthy is an attempt to shield Rahm Emanuel and Anita Alvarez from being unseated.  McCarthy did what had to be done following the shooting.  He placed Officer Van Dyke on desk duty until Alvarez decided whether or not to charge him.  Rahm had to have known that a murder charge was eventually forthcoming, otherwise he wouldn't have authorized a $5 million payment to the McDonald family last March as compensation.
You have to ask yourself.  Should a man who has been in the job for just 3 years be responsible for the actions of a 14-year veteran police officer?  One who was trained and hired under the watch of the then-current Superintendent Terry Hillard. Also, over those 14 years, there had been 20 citizen complaints against Van Dyke and nothing was done about him.  To me, this exposes a protective culture that exists within the department and among police officers, and no one chief of police is going to change that. The main driver of that culture is the police union which too often shields its members from being disciplined.   This is obvious from the fact that Van Dyke was put on desk duty with pay; rather than laid off or even fired.  He even remained on desk duty after the City paid out $5 million in compensation to the McDonald family.  If that isn't enough to fire someone, what is?

References:

He Fired Garry McCarthy, His Top Cop. Is Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel Next?: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/he-fired-garry-mccarthy-his-top-cop-chicago-mayor-rahm-n472116

Chicago officer had history of complaints before Laquan McDonald shooting: http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/25/us/jason-van-dyke-previous-complaints-lawsuits/

Anita Alvarez Responds to Calls for Her Resignation, Says She Will Not Be 'Bullied': http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Anita-Alvarez-Responds-to-Calls-for-Her-Resignation-359012851.html

Chicago paid $5 million to shooting victim's family, keeping them quiet and video secret while Rahm re-elected: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2015/11/chicago_paid_5_million_to_shooting_victims_family_keeping_them_quiet_and_video_secret_while_rahm_reelected_.html

History:  HEADS OF THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT: http://chicagocop.com/html/history/heads_of_the_cpd.html#sthash.G2AtL7nI.dpbs