Dr. Reginald Freeman has been nominated to serve as the next chief of the Minneapolis Fire Department following a nationwide search led by Mayor Jacob Frey’s office. Photo: Courtesy of the City of Minneapolis
Dr. Reginald Freeman has been nominated to serve as the next chief of the Minneapolis Fire Department following a nationwide search led by Mayor Jacob Frey’s office. Photo: Courtesy of the City of Minneapolis

Mayor Jacob Frey has nominated veteran fire service leader Dr. Reginald Freeman to become the next chief of the Minneapolis Fire Department following a nationwide search, the mayor’s office announced Wednesday.

The Minneapolis Fire Department is the largest fire department in Minnesota.

If confirmed by the Minneapolis City Council, Freeman would continue a recent period of Black leadership at the top of the department. He would succeed Interim Chief Melanie Rucker, who became the department’s first African American woman chief in December following the retirement of Chief Bryan Tyner.

Freeman previously served as fire chief in Oakland, California, and Hartford, Connecticut, and has also held leadership roles with the U.S. Department of Defense in Iraq and in emergency services operations in Saudi Arabia.

Mayor Frey said Freeman’s experience in emergency response modernization, firefighter development and public safety leadership made him a strong fit for Minneapolis.

“Dr. Freeman brings a rare mix of hands-on experience and proven leadership that will help guide our fire department into the future,” Frey said in a statement.

Freeman said he was drawn to Minneapolis because of its strong sense of community and called the opportunity “professionally meaningful and personally motivating.”

The nomination now heads to the City Council for a public hearing and confirmation vote. Interim Chief Rucker will continue leading the department pending confirmation.

Mayor Jacob Frey (right) shakes hands with Fire Chief nominee Dr. Reginald Freeman during the announcement of Freeman’s nomination to lead the Minneapolis Fire Department. Photo: Courtesy of the City of Minneapolis

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  • Born and raised in Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa, Tom is the Founder, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Mshale which has been reporting on the news and culture of African immigrants in the United States since 1995. He has a BA in Business from Metro State University and a Public Leadership Credential from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

    He was the original host of Talking Drum, the signature current affairs show on the African Broadcasting Network (ABN-America), which was available nationwide in the United States via the Dish Network satellite service. On the show, he interviewed Nobel laureates such as 2004 Nobel Peace prize winner, Professor Wangari Maathai, the first woman from Africa to win the peace prize and heads of states. Tom has served and chaired various boards including Global Minnesota (formerly Minnesota International Center), the sixth largest World Affairs Council in the United States. He has previously served as the first Black President of the Board of Directors at Books for Africa. He also serves on the board of the Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium. He has previously served two terms on the board of the United Nations Association.

    An avid runner, he retired from running full marathons after turning 50 and now only focuses on training for half marathons.

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About Tom Gitaa, Editor-in-Chief

Born and raised in Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa, Tom is the Founder, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Mshale which has been reporting on the news and culture of African immigrants in the United States since 1995. He has a BA in Business from Metro State University and a Public Leadership Credential from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He was the original host of Talking Drum, the signature current affairs show on the African Broadcasting Network (ABN-America), which was available nationwide in the United States via the Dish Network satellite service. On the show, he interviewed Nobel laureates such as 2004 Nobel Peace prize winner, Professor Wangari Maathai, the first woman from Africa to win the peace prize and heads of states. Tom has served and chaired various boards including Global Minnesota (formerly Minnesota International Center), the sixth largest World Affairs Council in the United States. He has previously served as the first Black President of the Board of Directors at Books for Africa. He also serves on the board of the Minnesota Multicultural Media Consortium. He has previously served two terms on the board of the United Nations Association. An avid runner, he retired from running full marathons after turning 50 and now only focuses on training for half marathons.

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