Fred Heineman

Who was Fred Heineman?

Frederick K. "Fred" Heineman 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.

In 1979, Heineman came to Raleigh, North Carolina as that city's chief of police. He served for 15 years, a time when Raleigh began an explosive period of growth that continues today. He promoted many women and minorities to senior positions for the first time, and cut a distinct figure with his thick New York accent. In 1994, he stepped down as chief of police and ran for Congress as a Republican against incumbent Democrat David Price, besting Price in the "Republican Revolution" of 1994. After a single term in the 104th Congress, Heineman fell ill and was narrowly defeated for re-election in 1996 by Price.