MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2010 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Hewes, Browning, Butler, Carmichael, Chassaniol, Clarke, Davis, Dearing, Fillingane, Frazier, Hyde-Smith, Jackson (15th), Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), King, Kirby, Lee (35th), McDaniel, Mettetal, Montgomery, Powell, Simmons, Stone, Ward, Wilemon
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MOURNING THE LOSS AND COMMENDING THE WELL-DOCUMENTED LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER OF RETIRED FBI AGENT AND FORMER MISSISSIPPI COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY JIM INGRAM.
WHEREAS, James O. "Jim" Ingram, retired FBI Agent and former Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, passed away on Sunday, August 2, 2009; and
WHEREAS, born January 22, 1932, in Henryetta, Oklahoma, Jim Ingram was a longtime resident of the Jackson Metro area. Jim Ingram joined the FBI in 1953, and was with the FBI for over 30 years in several capacities, such as Deputy Assistant Director in Washington, with duties supervising all FBI criminal investigations. He also was Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the New York and Chicago FBI offices; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Ingram traveled worldwide for the FBI to places such as France, Canada, Mexico, and Central and South America. Some famous FBI cases which he commanded were: The Guyana Jim Jones case where over 1,000 people committed suicide at the request of their leader, and the investigation into the assassination of a Federal Judge in Texas by drug lords; and
WHEREAS, Jim Ingram was also in charge of the FBI's Mississippi Civil Rights Unit in the 1960s, supervising the investigation and assisting in the successful prosecution of individuals who killed the Civil Rights workers in Neshoba County, Mississippi, and other violent Civil Rights murders committed in Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, after retiring from the FBI, he served 10 years as Senior Vice President, Director of Security for Deposit Guaranty National Bank. He then served as Commissioner of Public Safety for 8 years commanding the Mississippi Highway Patrol, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and six other divisions. He served the state's second longest tenure in this capacity and said "these were some of the happiest times of my life"; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Ingram was well-known throughout the United States in law enforcement receiving several awards such as being honored with the Civil Rights Award in September 2006 in Boston, Massachusetts, by the International Association of Chiefs of Police for the solution of the "Mississippi Burning Case" and was appointed as a Member by the Harvard University Associates in Police Science. Jim was active in the business community having served as President of the Jackson Rotary Club, the largest civic club in Mississippi, and served as Chief of Security for the International Ballet Competition (IBC); and
WHEREAS, Jim Ingram is survived by his loving wife, Marie, of 58 years; his three sons, Steven W. (Brenda) Ingram, Stanley T. (Terri) Ingram, and James M. (Janice) Ingram; 15 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and numerous friends; and
WHEREAS, whether working on the complex civil rights cases that he directly helped to solve or on broad public policy in leading the state's Highway Patrol, Commissioner Ingram brought professionalism, common sense and a strong sense of duty to his lifelong pursuit of upholding the law. He was a man who lived by his principles and who expected others to do the same; and
WHEREAS, Mississippi will miss Jim Ingram, but his fellow citizens will long remember his contributions:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby mourn the loss and commend the well-documented and dedicated law enforcement career of retired FBI Agent and former Mississippi Commissioner of Public Safety James O. "Jim" Ingram of Ridgeland, Mississippi, and express to his surviving family the high esteem with which he was held by public officials in our state and our deepest sympathy on his passing.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Jim Ingram's surviving family, forwarded to the Governor and Commissioner of Public Safety, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.