[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 53 (Thursday, March 24, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E290-E291]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    TRIBUTE TO CHIEF MELANIE MONTROLL, ORLEANS PARISH HARBOR POLICE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TROY A. CARTER

                              of louisiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 24, 2022

  Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, ``Law enforcement is my 
existence; I have strived to make this world a better place for all of 
us. Service to humankind is the only way to show appreciation for being 
chosen by God to live this life.''
  Those words are Chief Montroll's mantra every day. Born the youngest 
child to a doting police officer father and a loving mother who worked 
in accounting, her parents knew at a very early age that she would live 
a transformative life.
  Chief Montroll was born on New Orleans' Eastbank and was a 
rambunctious youth filled with vigor and determination. She was always 
known to be the life of the classroom, filled with jokes and 
playfulness. Academics came easy to her also. Chief Montroll is a 
graduate of Oliver Perry Walker High School in New Orleans' Algiers 
area and graduated with a 4.0 average. After her high school 
graduation, she attended community college and concurrently made the 
decision to follow in the footsteps of her father and become a police 
officer. After graduating from the Harbor Police Academy, Melanie was 
full steam ahead in her career serving the community.

[[Page E291]]

  Chief Montroll, while holding a full-time law enforcement job at 
Harbor Police Department, enrolled in Southern University at New 
Orleans and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business 
Administration. Soon thereafter, she secured her Master's Degree in 
Business Administration from the University of New Orleans. ``Education 
is the key to doors that cannot be opened normally.''
  Within two years of her being employed by the Harbor Police 
Department, she was promoted to Corporal, which gave her officer 
supervisory responsibilities within the department. After many awards 
and accommodations, she was promoted to Sergeant, which included being 
the Director of Training and the Commander of the Marine division. This 
position prepared her to, once again, be promoted. This time to 
Lieutenant, and those responsibilities made her the Commander of the 
Criminal Investigations and Internal Affairs Division.
  As a reward for Chief Montroll's hard work and dedication, she was 
promoted to Assistant Chief of the Harbor Police Department in 2017 
with the rank of Captain. The job included Captain of all Platoons, 
Communications and Surveillance Center, Criminal Investigations and 
Internal Affairs, Maritime Security Operations Center, Bicycle 
Division, Training Division, and the day-to-day operations of the 
Harbor Police Department. She supervised security guards working under 
the purview of the Harbor Police Department. She was responsible for 
ensuring adequate and efficient deployment of patrol officers to 
various sections of the Port of New Orleans as well as overseeing the 
Port of New Orleans Fireboat Boat and 9-member crew. She was 
responsible for three civilian staff in charge of emergency operations 
and homeland security. She was responsible for the fiscal budget for 
the department and responsible for the Port of New Orleans remaining 
compliant with MTSA (Coast Guard Regulations) and Commander of Harbor 
Police Department's Marine Division. She served as the liaison for 
personnel and time management for subordinate officers between the 
Harbor Police Department and the Port of New Orleans' Human Relations 
Division. She coordinated working relationships with outside law 
enforcement agencies, including local, state, and federal.
  Under the tutelage of Chief Robert Hecker, she learned the ins and 
outs of being the Chief of Police. She credits Chief Hecker for being 
an outstanding mentor and role model in policing. On Monday, February 
28, 2022, after a long interview process, Melanie received the call 
that she was selected to be the next Chief of Police for the Harbor 
Police Department. Chief Montroll is the first African American female 
Chief of Police for the Harbor Police Department and one of the first 
in the State of Louisiana. Chief Montroll is married to Danyell 
Montroll and has a son Daniel and live in the Greater New Orleans 
Metropolitan area. She is an inspiring member of our community and I 
congratulate her on this incredible achievement.

                          ____________________