[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 60 (Monday, April 8, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E422-E423]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN RECOGNITION OF CAROLINE SERRATO

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 8, 2019

  Ms. SPEIER. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Caroline Serrato upon her 
retirement from the Hillsborough Police Department after 23 years of 
service to the residents of Hillsborough, California, and after 31 
years in law enforcement. Caroline Serrato has enjoyed a long career in 
law enforcement dating back to May 20, 1988 when she was first sworn in 
as a peace officer and park ranger for the City of Escondido.
  The City of Brisbane benefited from Caroline's leadership where she 
served starting in 1993. For a brief time, she was also a peace officer 
for the University of San Francisco where she attained the rank of 
Inspector and then Sergeant.
  The Town of Hillsborough recruited Caroline in 1996 and she quickly 
proved to be an exemplary addition to its police force. She was the 
first school liaison officer and was promoted to Inspector in 1998 and 
to Corporal in 2001. Hillsborough's policing environment is 
specialized. In addition to the town's rolling hills and leafy streets, 
both deceptively serene yet creating a complex web to patrol, you can 
add the challenge of protecting visiting luminaries and leadership from 
around the globe. Caroline met the challenge by being professional and 
polite, firm but fair. She was quickly

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identified as a leader by the department's managers and became a 
Sergeant in 2002.
  In 2007 she was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and assumed even 
greater management duties, and in 2011 she became a Captain. During her 
years of service, Caroline Serrato gained the trust of residents and 
town leadership by becoming the project manager for large scale 
projects that benefitted residents. Communicating as a police 
department in the modern era requires that key information systems and 
social media platforms either be created or updated regularly. With no 
fanfare but profound impact, she either led or assisted in these 
projects.
  During her service, Caroline Serrato was responsible for 
investigating and obtaining the conviction of countless criminals. 
Residents could be confident that when Caroline Serrato was 
investigating their case, the job was being performed by a true 
professional. She also mentored others so that she could be a force 
multiplier for the police department, and she provided training to both 
the public and the staff to ensure that both were able to protect 
themselves. In short, this small police department was able to handle 
much larger responsibilities because Caroline's willingness to teach 
others how to become outstanding officers.
  Caroline Serrato holds a Bachelor's Degree in Management from St. 
Mary's College where she graduated with honors, and she attended the 
Delinquency Control Institute at the University of Southern California. 
When cities throughout our county decided to exchange talented 
individuals from other communities, and to expend the funds needed to 
provide training, city management sent Caroline to the city manager's 
office to learn about city management from Daly City.
  Madam Speaker, Caroline Serrato's commitment to Hillsborough could 
never be doubted, nor could her commitment to the highest standards of 
law enforcement. We celebrate her retirement after 31 years in law 
enforcement. Her career proves the point that if law enforcement is 
performed with an even hand and with justice close to the heart, then 
body-worn cameras throughout our nation will record that democracy is 
safe in America.

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