MPR News with Angela Davis

First woman police officer in St. Paul shares her legacy

A person poses for a portrait
Debbie Montgomery poses for a portrait outside the Kling Media Center on Thursday in St. Paul.
Kerem Yücel | MPR News

Debbie Montgomery is a true trailblazer. 

She grew up in the Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul. In 1963, when she was just 17 years old, she became the youngest person to serve on the national board of the NAACP, a national organization that works towards equity, political rights and social inclusion of Black people and people of color. 

In the mid-1970s, Debbie became the first woman police officer in St. Paul. Later, she was the first Black woman elected to the St. Paul City Council. 

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with Debbie Montgomery about her amazing life and career and what she wants people today to learn from her story. 

Guest: 

  • Debbie Montgomery is a community leader in St. Paul. She was the first woman police officer in St. Paul and the first Black woman elected to the St. Paul City Council. 

Two side by side photos of a woman
Debbie Montgomery, a community leader in St. Paul with a rich history.
Courtesy photo