Baltimore County extends a warm welcome to new Baltimore County Police Chief Melissa Hyatt, who was sworn in this morning during a ceremony on Patriot Plaza. @BaltCoPolice https://t.co/7hQGeFi0ZS pic.twitter.com/w2t7RnGTqY
— Baltimore County (@BaltCoGov) June 17, 2019
“The need to rebuild relationships between our police and our communities has not been this crucial since the civil rights movement of the 1960s,” the 43-year-old said during her swearing-in ceremony, as reported by the local paper.
“There are challenges across our nation and our own neighborhoods. We cannot simply police our way out of it,” she added. “I recognize the need to build trust.”
Hyatt’s father Sidney, a retired police officer, was the one who pinned on her the new chief’s badge – as he had done with all of her previous promotions, she revealed. She added that his work inspired her to join the police, something she had wanted to do since she was a young child.
Mazel Tov! Melissa Hyatt Sworn In as First Female and First Jewish Police Chief of Baltimore County Police https://t.co/YrfS5wmy12
— BJLife (@BJLife) June 17, 2019
For the future, Hyatt expressed the hope that her role will inspire more women to join the police.
"People need to see someone who looks like them to be able to envision themselves in roles," she said.