Christine Coulter, 1st woman to lead Philadelphia police, retires after over 30 years
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Christine Coulter, the first woman to lead the Philadelphia Police Department, is calling it a career after more than 30 years.
Officers and department leadership lined 15th Street outside police headquarters on Friday to see Coulter off. She held a bouquet of roses and exchanged hugs while posing for pictures.
Over her decades in the department Coulter served in patrol, narcotics, intelligence, investigations and other special units.
In August 2019, she took over as interim police commissioner following the departure of Richard Ross amid a harassment lawsuit.
Coulter led the department until February 2020, when Danielle Outlaw took over.
Coulter is a Frankford High School grad and has taught criminal justice and public safety courses at St. Joseph's University, where she received a master's degree.
We saw Coulter appear to wipe a tear from her eye during the sendoff. She hugged Commissioner Kevin Bethel and posed for pictures with family and other members of the department.