LeRoy Martin (1929 − August 31, 2013) was an American police officer for the Chicago Police Department. In November 1987, Martin became the third African-American and second permanent to serve as superintendent of the department, following the retirement of

Fred Rice Jr. Fred Rice, Jr. (December 24, 1926 – January 10, 2011) was an American police officer for the Chicago Police Department who also served as superintendent of the department from August 1983 until November 1987. Rice is noted as the first permane ...

(who is noted as the Chicago first permanent African-American police superintendent, Samuel Nolan was the Chicago's first African-American police superintendent who served as interim in 1979).

Biography

Early life and education

Martin was born the fourth of five children in 1929 in Chicago, Illinois. His parents migrated to Chicago from

Grenada, Mississippi Grenada is a city in Grenada County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 13,092 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Grenada County. History Grenada was formed in 1836, after federal removal of the Choctaw people who had lo ...

in the early-1920s.WTTW Chicago (VIDEO), Remembering Chicago Police Superintendent LeRoy Martin, 9/2/2013
/ref> Martin's father was a

pullman porter Pullman porters were men hired to work for the railroads as porters on sleeping cars. Starting shortly after the American Civil War, George Pullman sought out former slaves to work on his sleeper cars. Their job was to carry passengers’ bag ...

. Martin was raised in the

North Lawndale North Lawndale is one of the 77 community areas of the city of Chicago, Illinois, located on its West Side. The area contains the K-Town Historic District, the Foundation for Homan Square, the Homan Square interrogation facility, and the grea ...

neighborhood on the city's west side, attending Richard T. Crane Technical High School. Martin later earned a master's degree in Public Administration and a bachelor's degree from

Roosevelt University Roosevelt University is a private university with campuses in Chicago and Schaumburg, Illinois. Founded in 1945, the university was named in honor of United States President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. The unive ...

Career

In the 1950s, Martin worked as a bus driver for the

Chicago Transit Authority The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the operator of mass transit in Chicago, Illinois, United States, and some of its surrounding suburbs, including the trains of the Chicago 'L' and CTA bus service. In , the system had a ridership of , ...

. Martin joined the Chicago Police Department in 1955 as a patrolman in the Woodlawn and Burnside neighborhoods on the city's south side. Martin was appointed superintendent of the Chicago Police Department by mayor Harold Washington on November 18, 1987. Martin served as superintendent until January 1992. After his term as superintendent, Martin served as the Director of Public Safety for the

Chicago Housing Authority The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is a municipal corporation that oversees public housing within the city of Chicago. The agency's Board of Commissioners is appointed by the city's mayor, and has a budget independent from that of the city of ...

from 1992 until 1994. Thereafter, Martin worked in the private sector security director for Central Management Services. In

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...

, Martin ran as a Republican, challenging Michael F. Sheahan to be the Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois. Martin was unsuccessful.

Personal life and death

Martin was married to Constance B. MartinJUDGE LeROY MARTIN JR. TRANSLATES LIFE LESSONS INTO SERVICE
/ref> at the time of his death, having been married since 1954. Together, they had three children, Ron, LeRoy Jr., and Dawn. Martin died of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

on August 31, 2013, aged 84, in Dyer, Indiana. A funeral service was held for Martin on September 6, 2013, gathering hundreds.Former Chicago police Supt. LeRoy Martin mourned
/ref>

Electoral history

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, LeRoy 1929 births 2013 deaths Superintendents of the Chicago Police Department Illinois Republicans Roosevelt University alumni African-American police officers