ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The new interim chief of the Rochester Police Department spoke exclusively with Spectrum News and talked about how she will serve the department and the community.

Chief Cynthia Herriott-Sullivan says her first order of business is getting to know the staff and going on what she calls a listening tour. She wants to hear from the officers and the community.

She comes in during a time of turmoil — but she hopes to bring stability.

Her swearing-in is a first for the Rochester community. Herriott-Sullivan is breaking the glass ceiling as the first woman to hold the position.

Herriott-Sullivan: “I have mixed feelings about it. Part of me, I just feel bad that I'm the first one in 2020. I think it should have happened by now. But other than that, certainly, I'm just happy to see women advance in all fields. It's always been a passion of mine.”

Wendy Wright: "Does that bring some extra pressure to you?"

Herriott-Sullivan: “I think so. I think any time you're first, there's a certain level of pressure that comes with that. But I also believe things happen for a reason, and that it is that things just lined up where right now is my time, and certainly I'll be cognizant of that. You want to leave a good example for other women not just in policing but in all around the community. So it's an important role, but I don't mind wearing that hat at all.”

Wendy Wright: "And I think that's part of the reason we're in this setting here with Susan B. Anthony Park: We have a history here."

Herriott-Sullivan: “Yeah, women having, an informed woman, having the options to do what she wants. You know whether life or career, her body, are very important to me. I've always been passionate about those. It's just always been something that I felt very strongly about. An informed woman, making her own choices.”

Wendy Wright: "Let me go back a little bit. Tell me about when you first became an officer."

Herriott-Sullivan: “That was back in 1985. I was very excited about it, sky was the limit. I don't imagine many come into the field not kind of imagining yourself in that chief's office chair ... but I really got into it to be able to see what I could do to help. And so, I always tried to stick with things that I was really interested in.”

Wendy Wright: "What was it that interested you that you stuck to?"

Herriott-Sullivan: “Um, I'm one that I don't like redundancy and wasted effort. I really like to come up with sustainable solutions that solve the problem, so you don't have to revisit it over and over again. That just always struck me as insane."

Wendy Wright: "So do you think things have somewhat come full circle because you aspired maybe all those years ago to the chief's office; you kind of had that little pipe dream thing going on then?"

Herriott-Sullivan: "I'm working on a 90-day plan, scrambling a bit to, you know, tie up some things that are RHA before I transition, but yeah, I want a sense of coming in, what my focuses are going to be, what the priorities are, so yeah, that's important to me.” 

Wendy Wright: "It's probably obvious with some of the priorities are ... I mean, there are so many things that are happening right now, there are so many different groups out there, investigative things happening and a lot of juggling going on. How do you think you'll manage that?"

Herriott-Sullivan: "They all have to work in tandem together. If I don't have a functioning police department then how am I going to help the community? But I need the community's feedback and, and weigh in to talk about what issues are of concern to them. So, there has to be a connection between all of those groups and then how I move forward in managing that process is what's critical."

Herriott-Sullivan's interim appointment will last one year. She says if asked to stay, she’d absolutely consider it. She does not currently reside in the city and would have to move if this becomes a permanent position.