Cindy Pontoriero, the first woman promoted to detective in the history of the Chicago Police Department, died on August 22 at the age of 84. She passed away at Discovery Village, a senior living center in Des Plaines, following an illness.

Pontoriero’s career began in the 1960s as a stenographer for CPD’s Area 5 homicide division, where she accompanied detectives to crime scenes and recorded interviews. Inspired by the detectives she observed, she aspired to transition from support staff to detective—a particularly challenging goal at a time when the department’s male-dominated culture rarely included women in investigative roles.

In 1972, nearly a decade after starting with the department, Pontoriero became the first woman promoted to detective after qualifying with a top score on the detective’s exam. At the time, women were not officially permitted to take the exam. To circumvent this restriction, she submitted the application using only her initial, “C. Pontoriero,” to conceal her gender. When she showed up at the testing location prepared with the appropriate paperwork, officials allowed her to take the exam despite initial surprise.

Pontoriero spent several years in CPD’s youth division before transferring back to Area 5 homicide on the Northwest Side. Colleagues remembered her as having an upbeat demeanor in the emotionally demanding work of homicide investigation. She was particularly skilled at interviewing women and children affected by trauma, often making connections that male detectives could not.

George Ruckrich, a former sergeant in Area 5, noted that Pontoriero excelled at translating complex information and evidence into clear, well-written reports. “She would seek out the truth, no matter what it was,” he said. Former deputy chief Kathy Kajari described her as an icon within the department, not only for being a detective but for her role as a homicide detective, a position still regarded with particular esteem.

Pontoriero married fellow officer Iggy Grimaldi in 1974, and they had two sons, Lary and Dominic. Over the course of her career, she advanced to sergeant in 1985 and lieutenant in 1990, eventually overseeing multiple districts across Chicago. She retired in 2004 as the watch commander of the 17th District in Albany Park after 37 years of service, stepping down shortly before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 63.

Despite her groundbreaking role, Pontoriero did not seek public recognition as a trailblazer. Her son Lary described her as someone who “never wanted to be the face of a movement,” recalling that she often said her motivation was simply a desire “to be a cop.”

Pontoriero is survived by her two sons, four grandchildren, her sister Theresa and extended family. Funeral services have already been held.