[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 8] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 10986] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]HONORING THE LIFE OF MR. JACK WALLACE ______ HON. STEVE COHEN of tennessee in the house of representatives Wednesday, June 16, 2010 Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mr. Jack Wallace, an outstanding man who improved the lives of countless individuals while working tirelessly to make Memphis a better and safer place. Born in 1928, Mr. Wallace spent 24 years serving in the Memphis Police Department before his retirement in 1976. Jack Wallace was one of the most outstanding people to have served the Memphis community. I was privileged to serve as Police Legal Advisor for the Memphis Police Department in the seventies, where Jack served as my mentor. He was the person I looked up to, learned from, and got advice from. The policemen all respected Jack because he was a policeman's policeman; he was a man's man. He was strong; he was smart; he was a natural leader. Despite never attending college, Mr. Wallace attended the Southern College of Law, where he was consistently at the top of his class. His colleagues and classmates recalled how much they grew to respect and revere him. As a policeman, Jack analyzed issues like a lawyer, cutting through all the issues in order to get to the heart of each matter. Though he never served as the official director of police, Mr. Wallace served as interim director under Mayor Henry Loeb. Jack Wallace was the perfect fit for the job. At the time, there was no one in the police department with more intelligence, more common sense, respect, leadership abilities and a better sense of judgment and values. During his time with the Memphis Police Department Mr. Wallace faced some of the toughest issues confronting the city. He was an integral part of ensuring the safety and continued success of the city in a period of potential turmoil. After the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., it was Jack who maintained order in the community after violence broke out, commanding the night tactical units. Wallace was also responsible for peacefully ending a 12-hour hostage situation, a heroic incident in which he walked into a held-up house, unarmed, and rescued six children. Jack Wallace was twice named one of the top 10 police officers in the country by Parade Magazine. In addition to remembering Mr. Wallace for his leadership and bravery as a Memphis police officer, I will always remember and appreciate the times we were able to spend on the Ridgeway golf course in Memphis with friends. As a golfer, he had the ability to charm everyone on the course. Years after we played golf, mutual friends would ask ``Where's Jack Wallace?'' He had that memorable personality and they simply loved playing with him. His wife, Shirley Wallace, reported that the day before his death, he played 27 holes of golf. Jack Wallace passed away on Saturday, June 12 of heart failure in Brownsville, Tennessee at the age of 82. Mr. Wallace was a man of exceptional integrity and moral character. His was a life well lived, and I honor him today as a public servant, a leader, a mentor, and a friend. The city of Memphis is a better place because of Jack Wallace. He is survived by his wife Shirley, his son Lee Wallace of Kansas City, MO, two daughters, Diane Swan of Collierville, TN and Amy Todd of Jackson, TN, a brother, Bill Wallace of Memphis and seven grandchildren. ____________________