MONROE, La. – The City of Monroe has named their first female Assistant Chief of Police.
Wednesday, Mayor Friday Ellis, the City Council and Police Chief Vic Zordan are proud to announce the appointment of Major Mary Ann Tellis will serve the city as the Assistant Chief of Police for the Monroe Police Department.
The city says they will make the formal announcement on Thursday, March 25 at 12:15 p.m. at the Public Safety Center on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
According to the city, Tellis started her career with the police force as a Record Clerk in February of 1988, climbing her way through the ranks as a patrol officer. She helped start the D.A.R.E. program for the Monroe Police Department and was the first African American female President of the Louisiana D.A.R.E. Officer Association in 2000.
Officials say Tellis became an SRO Officer and then a certified SRO Supervisor in 2000. Tellis was promoted to Sergeant in April of 2002, then promoted to Lieutenant in September of 2014, then promoted to Captain, and finally promoted to Major in December of 2015 according to her city record.
The city says when Tellis took the civil service test for Assistant Chief, she scored a 96%.
According to officials this is a historical appointment.
Assistant Chief Tellis is the first woman to ever be appointed to this position in the Monroe Police Department.
