MCPD Mourns Loss of Retired Chief Carol Mehrling (PHOTO)

Chief Carol Mehrling
PHOTO | MCPD

The Montgomery County Police Department is mourning the loss of retired Chief of Police Carol Mehrling.

Mehrling was the first woman Chief of Police of Montgomery County and at the time of her appointment to Chief, it was the largest police department in the United States ever lead by a woman.

A Silver Spring resident, she joined the department’s all female juvenile aid bureau on March 29, 1971. It was the only place on the force where women officers were allowed to work at that time. The force then had about 250 officers, and only five were women.

As restrictions on the placement of women officers were eliminated, Mehrling moved on to other specialized assignments. She was the first woman to serve in many specialized and supervisory assignments throughout the Department.

In 1995, Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan selected Mehrling to become the Police Chief where she served with distinction. Mehrling retired as Chief in 1999 after leading the force for four years. Her total police service spanned three decades.

“Chief Mehrling was ahead of her time in so many ways”, said Police Chief Tom Manger. “Not only was she a trailblazer for women in police work, but she brought a compassion and spirit for public service that made her a great cop.”

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