A Place to Serve and Protect

Melissa Chiodo, MA ‘10, first became interested in law enforcement at an early age thanks to the influence of her older brother who served in that field. Despite her initial interest in law enforcement, she decided to instead pursue a teaching career, eventually earning a bachelor’s degree in English and communication from the College of St.

At the time of her graduation, however, Chiodo wasn’t sure what path to take. She came across an opportunity with the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) specifically for people with four-year degrees who were interested in training to become police officers. Thus she began a career in law enforcement spanning nearly three decades.

For 23 years, Chiodo served in Minneapolis, first as a beat officer and a patrol officer. She remembers fondly the relationships she developed on a daily basis as a beat officer, first in Loring Park and then in the Cedar-Riverside community. “[T]hat was great because you really got to know your community when you focused in one area. You'd meet with businesses, you'd meet with residents in apartment complexes and schools,” she recalls.

Encouraged by mentors, Chiodo decided to pursue a master’s degree in criminal justice, and a colleague recommended she explore what Concordia University, St. Paul had to offer. The experience renewed her vocation as a police officer. “[It] made me focus on me, and why do I want to do this job, and how am I going to lead…I think I walked away [from CSP] a better, stronger person, recommitted to why I'm doing this job because of my education there,” she reflects.

Throughout her time with MPD, Chiodo earned promotions to sergeant, lieutenant, and then commander, serving in various roles within precincts, including overseeing divisions like sex crimes, narcotics, and arson, as well as overseeing internal affairs. Chiodo spent her final years at the MPD focusing on the planning and safety for the 2018 Super Bowl and 2019 NCAA Final Four held at US Bank Stadium.

In 2019, Chiodo was named Police Chief for the city of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., a 35,000-resident suburb of St. Paul. Despite her added responsibilities as police chief—“I never thought I'd ever have to deal with budgets in a police department,” she jokes—she brings the same attention to the community she serves as she did back in her beat officer days, and encourages her officers to do the same, whether in short encounters such as traffic stops or longer-term relationships with resident and business owners.

“You know you're not just working there, but you're part of [the community],” Chiodo observes. “You're part of making it a better place for [residents]. I can't imagine being able to work somewhere and making any difference if you don't establish that connection.”