A plaque bearing Chicago Police Capt. Terrence J. McCue’s name soon will hang in the roll-call room at the Near North District, honoring a man beloved by those that served with him.
“He was the heart and soul of this district,” said Lt. Joe Schmit, acting day watch commander at the district. “He was never impressed by his rank, no matter what it was; he had everybody call him Terry.”
Capt. McCue, 57, assigned to the district since 1985 and serving the last six years as its day watch commander, died of lung cancer Tuesday, Dec. 2, in his Chicago home.
“Terry told me several times that he believed he was put on this earth to help people,” said John Robertson, his close friend and a police sergeant currently on leave and working as a deputy chief with the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department. “He truly believed it and I saw him do that every day, helping the citizens, the employees. That is the most amazing thing about him.”
After marrying his childhood sweetheart, Capt. McCue was looking for work and heard the Police Department was hiring. He joined the force as a patrolman in 1968, assigned to the Prairie District.
“My father kind of fell into police work by chance, but it was really his thing,” said his daughter, Megan. “His life was the Police Department, that was why he got up in the morning.”
He was an original member of youth special investigations, a covert unit that infiltrated child pornography and prostitution organizations as well as elementary and high school drug trafficking networks.
In 1977, he was promoted to sergeant and assigned to the field and tactical operations in the Shakespeare District. During his years there, he served as commanding officer of its youth unit, coordinator of citywide covert narcotics investigations and police liaison to the federal government during major Midwest narcotics trafficking probes.
He graduated from the FBI National Academy in 1982.
He was assigned to the East Chicago District after being promoted to lieutenant in 1985 and served in various roles, including tactical and vice coordinator as well as field operations lieutenant. He became the district’s day watch commander in 1997. He was promoted to captain two years ago.
“Terry was a natural leader,” said Belmont Area Deputy Chief John “Barney” Flanagan, who has worked for and with him. “He could build a team out of a diverse group of people and have them work toward a common goal–the safety of our citizens. He was my mentor, counselor and adviser.”
Raised in Bridgeport, Capt McCue attended Western Illinois University for three years on a baseball scholarship, but an injury sent him home. He later received a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern Illinois University in 1979.
But his love of sports never waned. “He woke up and fell asleep to the sports channel,” said his daughter.
Sunday mornings meant church, a practice he insisted on even while undergoing cancer treatments.
Capt. McCue also was deputy director of security for Levy Restaurants since 1986 and directed security at the Taste of Chicago for the Illinois Restaurant Association from 1985 to 1998.
Capt. McCue and his wife, MaryAnn, separated two years ago. Besides his daughter, survivors include two other daughters, Ellen and Devin; two sons, Kevin and Nolan; and a brother, Donald.
Mass will be said at 10 a.m., Friday in Assumption Catholic Church, 323 W. Illinois St., Chicago.
