Matt Rodriguez, ‘a pioneer’ who became Chicago’s top cop during a flood but retired under a cloud, dies at 87

Chicago Police Supt. Matt Rodriguez announces his retirement in November 1997. Rodriguez, who had been the police chief since April 1992, made the abrupt announcement following months of department turmoil and the disclosure that he violated a department rule by maintaining a friendship with a convicted felon. (Associated Press)

Former Chicago Police Supt. Matt Rodriguez, who made history as the first Latino to lead the department but was forced out under an ethical cloud over his choice of friends, died Wednesday at the age of 87.

Mr. Rodriguez was lauded for his introduction of community policing — a policing strategy based on emphasizing better interactions between police officers and residents — to the city in the 1990s.