Fred Rice Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fred Rice Jr.
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Rice Jr., c. 1983.
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| Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department | |
| In office August 27, 1983 – November 1, 1987 |
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| Mayor | Harold Washington |
| Preceded by | James E. O'Grady (interim) |
| Succeeded by | LeRoy Martin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 24, 1926 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | January 10, 2011 (aged 84) Palos Heights, Illinois |
| Spouse |
Thelma Dean Martin
(m. 1955) |
| Children | 2; including Judith |
| Alma mater | Roosevelt University |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1950–1952 |
| Battles/wars | |
Fred Rice, Jr. (born December 24, 1926 – died January 10, 2011) was an American police officer. He worked for the Chicago Police Department. He also served as the head of the department, called the Superintendent. He held this important role from August 1983 to November 1987.
Fred Rice, Jr. is famous for being the first permanent African-American to lead the Chicago Police Department. Before him, Samuel Nolan was the first African-American to serve as superintendent, but only for a short time.
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Early Life and Education
Fred Rice, Jr. was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 24, 1926. His parents were Leola Mosely and Fred Rice, Sr. He grew up in a Chicago neighborhood called Bronzeville. He went to John Farren and Edward Hartigan Elementary Schools. He then graduated from DuSable High School in 1945.
After high school, Rice joined the United States Army. He served for two years during the Korean War, from 1950 to 1952. He earned two battle stars for his service. He also received a special award from the government of South Korea. Before becoming a police officer, he worked for the United States Postal Service in Chicago.
Police Career Journey
In 1955, Fred Rice, Jr. started his police career. He became a patrol officer for the Chicago Park District police force. In 1959, this police force joined with the Chicago Police Department. That's when he officially became part of the Chicago Police Department.
While working as a police officer, Rice continued his education. He earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees from Roosevelt University. He also completed training at the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Federal Executive Institute. Rice worked hard and moved up through the police ranks. He was promoted to sergeant, then to civil service captain. By early 1983, he had become the department's chief of patrol.
Leading the Chicago Police Department
On August 27, 1983, Fred Rice, Jr. was chosen for a very important job. He was appointed Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. He was chosen by Harold Washington, who was Chicago's first African-American mayor. Mayor Washington had just started his term a few months earlier.
At that time, most of the police department was White. Rice was the first African-American person to permanently lead the Chicago Police Department. Before him, Samuel Nolan had served as a temporary superintendent for a few weeks.
Mayor Washington wanted to make the police department fairer. He wanted to end unfair practices within the force. Rice worked to make police patrols more integrated. This meant having officers of different backgrounds work together. Some officers did not like these changes. They protested by slowing down their work, like writing fewer tickets. But with the mayor's support, Rice stood firm against this resistance.
Rice was named in some lawsuits. Former White officers claimed they were treated unfairly because of their race. They said they were demoted because they were White and had disagreed with Mayor Washington's politics. However, the courts found that Rice had done nothing wrong. During Rice's time as superintendent, the police used firearms less often. There was also a decrease in arrests for disorderly conduct. These arrests had often caused problems between the police and people in minority neighborhoods.
Fred Rice, Jr. was a founder of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. This group supports Black leaders in law enforcement. He retired as superintendent on November 1, 1987. This ended his 32-year career as a Chicago police officer.
Personal Life and Legacy
Fred Rice, Jr. was married once and had two children. He married Thelma Dean Martin in 1955. They stayed married until his death. They had a son named Lyle and a daughter named Judith.
Fred Rice, Jr. passed away on January 10, 2011, in Palos Heights, Illinois. He was buried at Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago. His leadership helped bring important changes to the Chicago Police Department.
