LeRoy Martin | |
---|---|
56th Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department | |
In office November 18, 1987 [1] – January 29, 1992 [1] | |
Appointed by | Harold Washington |
Preceded by | Fred Rice Jr. |
Succeeded by | Matt Rodriguez |
Personal details | |
Born | 1929[1] Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Died | August 31, 2013 Dyer, Indiana, U.S. | (aged 83–84)
Political party | Republican |
Spouse |
Constance B. Martin (
m. 1954) |
Children | 3 |
Alma mater | Roosevelt University |
Occupation |
|
Police career | |
Department | Chicago Police Department |
Service years | 1955−1992 |
Rank | Superintendent (sworn in November 1987) |
LeRoy Martin (1929 [1] − August 31, 2013) was an American police officer for the Chicago Police Department. [4] 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. (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).
Martin was born the fourth of five children in 1929 [1] in Chicago, Illinois. [2] His parents migrated to Chicago from Grenada, Mississippi in the early-1920s. [2] Martin's father was a pullman porter. Martin was raised in the North Lawndale neighborhood on the city's west side, attending Richard T. Crane Technical High School. [2] Martin later earned a master's degree in Public Administration and a bachelor's degree from Roosevelt University. [5]
In the 1950s, Martin worked as a bus driver for the Chicago Transit Authority. [5] Martin joined the Chicago Police Department in 1955 as a patrolman in the Woodlawn and Burnside neighborhoods on the city's south side. [5] Martin was appointed superintendent of the Chicago Police Department by mayor Harold Washington on November 18, 1987. Martin served as superintendent until January 1992. [5] After his term as superintendent, Martin served as the Director of Public Safety for the Chicago Housing Authority from 1992 until 1994. [5] Thereafter, Martin worked in the private sector security director for Central Management Services. [5] In 1998, Martin ran as a Republican, challenging Michael F. Sheahan to be the Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois. [5] Martin was unsuccessful.
Martin was married to Constance B. Martin [2] [3] at the time of his death, having been married since 1954. Together, they had three children, Ron, LeRoy Jr., [3] and Dawn. [5] Martin died of a heart attack on August 31, 2013, aged 84, in Dyer, Indiana. [6] A funeral service was held for Martin on September 6, 2013, gathering hundreds. [7]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | LeRoy Martin | 107,868 | 100 | |
Total votes | 107,868 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Michael F. Sheahan (incumbent) | 903,053 | 71.11 | |
Republican | LeRoy Martin | 366,867 | 28.89 | |
Total votes | 1,269,920 | 100 |