Fred Heineman

Frederick K. "Fred" Heineman (December 28, 1929 – March 20, 2010)^[1] was a Republican U.S. Congressman from North Carolina, serving between 1995 and 1997.

Born in New York City, New York, Heineman attended Mt. St. Michael High School in Brooklyn. He then studied at Concordia Junior College, Westchester Community College, the University of Bridgeport, St. Francis College, and John Jay College. Heineman served in the United States Marine Corps from 1951 to 1954, and worked as a New York City police officer between 1955 and 1979.^[2]

In 1979, Heineman came to North Carolina as the chief of police of the city of Raleigh, North Carolina. He served for 15 years, a time when Raleigh began an explosive period of growth that continues today. In 1994, he stepped down as chief of police and ran for Congress as a Republican against incumbent Democrat David Price, narrowly besting Price in the "Republican Revolution" of 1994. After a single term in the 104th Congress (January 3, 1995 to January 3, 1997), Heineman was defeated for re-election in 1996 by Price.

Despite representing a fairly Democratic district, Heineman had an unshakably conservative voting record, garnering perfect 100s from the American Conservative Union during his brief tenure. This was typical of most members of the Republican freshman class of 1994.

He came under fire when he claimed that despite making a combined $183,000 from his NYPD and Raleigh pensions and his congressional salary, he was part of the "lower middle class." He further argued that anyone making between $300,000 and $750,000 was a member of the middle class.^[3]

Fred Heineman died of natural causes on March 20, 2010 at his home in Raleigh, North Carolina.^[1] To the day he died, he was nicknamed "the Chief."

References

External links

• News & Observer: Heineman, ex-police chief, dies