Therese Rocco: Pittsburgh's First Female Assistant Police Chief

by Therese Rocco

Pittsburgh Legend Therese Rocco is known to her colleagues as “The Rock.” This diminutive woman, at the age of nineteen, began her career in law enforcement as a clerk in a small, all-female missing persons unit of the Pittsburgh Police Department. Her career ended nearly fifty years later, as an honored and acclaimed Assistant Police Chief—the first woman in the Pittsburgh Police Department to reach such a high-ranking position. Many of the stories in this gritty and entertaining memoir underscore the fact that the young clerk was quickly moved into investigative work because of her grit and willingness to put herself in danger in the line of duty, and her determination to track down even the smallest lead. I faced a great deal of discrimination…but I accepted the challenge with a smile… Therese Rocco became a household name because of her tenacity and fearlessness in high profile cases involving missing children. Her dedication and dogged pursuit of truth earned her the recognition of governors, mayors and other high-ranking officials. Some of my memories are indeed painful. I think of the faces of anxious parents as I braced myself to tell them their child would not be coming home. Therese is credited with establishing protocols for the investigation of missing child cases that have saved the lives of untold numbers of children.

332 pages, Paperback

Published March 24, 2017

Reviews

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this memoir by Therese Rocco. It is well written and has great stories. She came of age in a mans world and met the challenge and then some. She paved the way for every woman who entered the work force after her and the police department would be the toughest glass ceiling to break but she did it. I wish she and her publisher were aware of Goodreads. I was surprised there were no reviews here on this fine book. It’s a fast good read. I will recommend to my friends.

[Evalynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a lot of typos in this book that took me out of my reading of it at times, even in regards to the names of people (like writing that Fletcher had dated Mary Ann when she meant Marilyn, the misspelling of names, etc.) but I am glad I read the story Therese Rocco wanted to tell of her life. I am grateful she exists in Pittsburgh, & for all the closure she brought to families who needed her thoroughness & perceptive, compassionate mind to save their lives, as well as that of their children's. I also read through this book extraordinarily quickly, because the content is of course so often unbearably sad, it made me want to reach the end faster. I enjoyed the parts about her life, & the way she named exact locations in Pittsburgh I know as a local.

[Denise Galloni · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing career Therese Rocco had. Pittsburgh was lucky to have her and her dedication.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting memoir from a woman who broke bariers and helped pave the way for women in law enforcement.

[James Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating memoir by a powerful Pittsburgh police veteran who rose through the ranks, battling sex discrimination all the way. The book is full of cases on which she worked, particularly missing person cases involving small children, some solved, some not. Ms. Rocco became the city's first assistant police chief and was denied entry into the US Marshal's program only due to the opposition of a sexist local congressman. Those who know her say she is an exceptional presence, and this shines through in every page of her book. A great read for those interested in true crime or in Pittsburgh's history.