LeRoy Martin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
LeRoy Martin
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Martin, c. 1981
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| Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department | |
| In office November 18, 1987 – January 29, 1992 |
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| Appointed by | Harold Washington |
| Preceded by | Fred Rice Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Matt Rodriguez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1929 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | August 31, 2013 (aged 83–84) Dyer, Indiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Constance B. Martin
(m. 1954) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Roosevelt University |
| Occupation |
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| Police career | |
| Department | Chicago Police Department |
| Years of service | 1955−1992 |
| Rank | Superintendent (sworn in November 1987) |
LeRoy Martin (1929 – August 31, 2013) was an important American police officer. He worked for the Chicago Police Department. In November 1987, Martin became the third African-American person to lead the department. He was the second person to hold the job permanently. He took over after Fred Rice Jr. retired. Fred Rice Jr. was the first permanent African-American police superintendent in Chicago. Before that, Samuel Nolan was the first African-American police superintendent, but he served only for a short time in 1979.
Contents
About LeRoy Martin
His Early Life and School
LeRoy Martin was born in 1929 in Chicago, Illinois. He was the fourth of five children. His parents moved to Chicago from Grenada, Mississippi, in the early 1920s. Martin's father worked as a pullman porter, which was a job helping passengers on trains.
Martin grew up in the North Lawndale area on the west side of Chicago. He went to Richard T. Crane Technical High School. Later, he studied at Roosevelt University. He earned a bachelor's degree and then a master's degree in Public Administration.
His Career in Public Service
In the 1950s, before joining the police, Martin worked as a bus driver. He drove buses for the Chicago Transit Authority.
In 1955, LeRoy Martin joined the Chicago Police Department. He started as a patrolman. He worked in the Woodlawn and Burnside neighborhoods on the south side of Chicago.
On November 18, 1987, Mayor Harold Washington chose Martin to be the superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. He led the department until January 1992.
After being superintendent, Martin continued to work in public safety. From 1992 to 1994, he was the Director of Public Safety for the Chicago Housing Authority. This role involved keeping people safe in public housing. Later, he worked in private security.
In 1998, Martin ran for Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois. He was a Republican candidate. He challenged the person who already held the job, Michael F. Sheahan. However, Martin did not win this election.
His Family and Passing
LeRoy Martin was married to Constance B. Martin. They had been married since 1954. Together, they had three children: Ron, LeRoy Jr., and Dawn.
LeRoy Martin passed away on August 31, 2013. He was 84 years old. He died from a heart attack in Dyer, Indiana. A funeral service was held for him on September 6, 2013, and many people attended to remember him.
