Tim McCarthy
Tim McCarthy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Timothy J. McCarthy June 20, 1949 |
| Alma mater | University of Illinois (B.S., 1971) Lewis University (M.S., 1999) |
| Occupation(s) | Secret Service special agent Chief of police |
| Children | 3 |
Timothy J. "Tim" McCarthy (born June 20, 1949) is the current chief of police of Orland Park, Illinois, and a former member of the United States Secret Service.[1] During the 1981 Reagan assassination attempt, he turned into the line of fire, shielding Ronald Reagan from one of John Hinckley, Jr.'s .22 caliber bullets.[2][3][dead link] Surgeons at George Washington University Hospital successfully removed the round from McCarthy's abdomen, and he fully recovered. McCarthy is one of only four Secret Service agents to have been wounded protecting a president.[citation needed] He received the NCAA Award of Valor in 1982[4] in recognition of his bravery.
Early life
McCarthy was born June 20, 1949, and was raised in the Ashburn neighborhood of Chicago. He graduated from St. Denis Grammar School and Leo Catholic High School and then attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While there, he was a member of the football team and the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and joined the United States Secret Service shortly thereafter.
Law enforcement career
His career included eight years assigned to the Presidential Protective Division in Washington D.C. and 14 years as a criminal investigator in Chicago. McCarthy was the special agent in charge of the Secret Service Chicago Division from 1989 until his retirement in October 1993.
Reagan assassination attempt
When Hinckley opened fire, McCarthy put himself in the line of fire and spread his body in front of Reagan to make himself a target.[3] While all Secret Service agents are trained to take bullets for the president, only four have actually done so. Besides McCarthy, officer Leslie Coffelt of the White House Police Force was killed and officers Donald Birdzell and Joseph Downs were wounded in the 1950 Truman assassination attempt.
Post-Secret Service career
McCarthy has served as chief of the Orland Park Police Department since May 1994, and, in 1997, he unsuccessfully ran for Illinois Secretary of State as a Democrat.[5]
Private life
He is married and has three children.[6]
In 1999, he earned a Master of Science degree in criminal/social justice from Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois.[7]
References
- ^ "Chief of Police". Village of Orland Park. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
- ^ "Has anyone ever been shot while guarding the President?". United States Secret Service. Archived from the original on 16 December 2010. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "March 30, 1981" Reagan's reflections on the assassination attempt, Ronaldreagan.com. Retrieved March 5, 2007. Archived 2010-12-27 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "NCAA Award of Valor Recipients". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved 28 December 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "An American Hero". UMKC School of Law. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
- ^ "Chief of Police". Village of Orland Park. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
- ^ "Chief of Police". Village of Orland Park. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
External links
- Orland Park Police Department-Meet the Chief of Police
- McCarthy Biography
- 2005 Illinois Bar Association Award
- He Took A Bullet For Reagan, McCarthy interview with Rene Syler, CBS News, 2004 6 11 (online article 2007 Dec 5, Ellen Crean)