Mayor's Office

Mayor Neeley lowers city flag in honor of Richard Dicks, whose service helped create Flint ombudsman’s office

FLINT, Michigan–Mayor Sheldon Neeley has ordered the flag at Flint City Hall lowered to half-staff to honor the life and legacy of Richard D. Dicks Sr.

Mr. Dicks served as a City of Flint police officer for more than 25 years and in 1969 began service as the police ombudsman, a position that paved the way for the Office of the Ombudsperson to be created in 1975. Mr. Dicks later served as the City of Flint’s “super chief” overseeing both the Flint Fire and Police Departments under former Mayor Don Williamson.

A Flint native, Mr. Dicks was inducted into the Greater Flint African American Sports Hall of Fame in 1998. He graduated from Flint Central High School and lettered in four sports before joining the Air Force and beginning a highly successful amateur boxing career. In 1959 and 1960, he won the Michigan Golden Gloves championship as a heavyweight. He went to the national semi-finals in 1960 and lost in a decision at the tournament that was won by a young boxer then known as Cassius Clay (and who would later become world famous as Muhammad Ali).

Mr. Dicks died on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020, at the age of 85. Funeral arrangements are pending.

The City of Flint flag at City Hall will remain at half-staff until Monday, Feb. 24, in honor of Mr. Dicks’s service to the greater Flint community.