Pittsburgh’s first female assistant police chief is the subject of a new documentary that will premier at 7 p.m. March 7 at the Heinz History Center.
“Therese Rocco: The Rock” tells the story of Therese Rocco, the first woman in the country to become an assistant police chief. She joined the department as a clerk in the Missing Persons Bureau in 1948 and retired as an assistant chief in 2004.
“Therese Rocco is an inspiration for women who are persevering to break through the glass ceiling in law enforcement and many other fields,” said Sharon Liotus, producer of “Therese Rocco: The Rock” and president of InterVue Productions. “She has also been called a guardian angel for missing children and their families. We are excited that Therese will now be able to share her unique story in this new documentary.”
Rocco, of Brookline, grew up in Pittsburgh’s Hill District and achieved renown in the police department for her work on missing persons cases, particularly those involving children. She was the lead investigator in the case of Mary Ann Verdecchia, a 10-year-old girl who disappeared in 1962 and whose remains have never been found.
The documentary features interviews with Rocco and such law enforcement luminaries as forensic pathologist Dr. Cyril Wecht, Allegheny County Sheriff William Mullen and Wilkinsburg police Chief Ophelia Coleman. In addition, the film includes never-before-told stories from individuals who were abducted as children and later reunited with their families.
“Over 40 years on the Pittsburgh police force have left me with many special memories,” Rocco said. “They are all a testament to what I consider to have been an incredibly challenging but ultimately rewarding career. This documentary gives me the opportunity to tell what life was like for women breaking into law enforcement during the later half of the 20th century.”
The screening is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is encouraged.
Following the film, there will be a reception and question-and-answer session with Rocco, who will be available to sign copies of her 2017 memoir “Therese Rocco: Pittsburgh’s First Female Assistant Police Chief.”
For more information, visit www.heinzhistorycenter.org/events.
