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On NH Today, MHT Police Chief Says He "Hopes" Harmony Montgomery is Alive

Manchester Police Chief Aldenberg states about the Harmony Montgomery case, “I’m treating this investigation, as are my detectives, with the hope that Harmony is still alive. And until somebody shows me otherwise, that’s how we’re treating this case.”

In an interview with WGIR’s Chris Ryan, the Manchester Chief of Police, Allen Aldenberg, gives an update of the Harmony Montgomery case, a missing person case which has attracted national attention; evaluates the level of violent crime in Manchester; addresses the homeless problem; and appraises the effect of the defund the police movement on the morale of his department.

Harmony Montgomery was five years old when she disappeared in 2019, but Chief Aldenberg and the detectives, who have been assigned to this complicated case, are holding onto the hope that this little girl is still alive.

Sole custody of Harmony was awarded to her father, Adam Montgomery, by a Massachusetts court without conducting a customary home investigation. The little girl moved in with her father, stepmother, and half siblings in Manchester. The New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth and Families-DCYF made three visits to the home to investigate allegations of abuse.

In November of 2019, Adam Montgomery told the DCFY that Harmony had gone back to Massachusetts to live with her biological mother. They never followed up on the story, and Harmony has been missing ever since.

The case has attracted national attention with the child protective agencies of New Hampshire and Massachusetts undergoing serious scrutiny.

Chief Aldenberg states that the Harmony Montgomery investigation is the top priority of his department. There is a dedicated team of Manchester detectives working on this case with the assistance of federal agents. Unfortunately, the investigation is hampered by the two-year delay in her disappearance being reported.

“I’m treating this investigation, as are my detectives, with the hope that Harmony is still alive. And until somebody shows me otherwise, that’s how we’re treating this case.”

The Chief is hopeful that the dedicated tip line might produce some viable leads. Anyone can call or text 603-203-6060 at any time. A reward fund to encourage tipsters to come forward has grown to $144,000.

When he became Chief of Police in 2020, he met with community groups which expressed a fear of gun violence as their main concern, so getting guns off the street is a major priority for Chief Aldenberg. In 2021, the Manchester police took about 90 guns away from individuals who were prohibited from having firearms or people in possession of drugs.

Based on data and reports, a core group of individuals has been targeted due to their prolific use of guns. The good news, according to Chief Aldenberg, is that gun violence is down, but the bad news is that the guns are being fired more often.  

Chief Aldenberg identifies the homeless problem as being more a social problem than a police problem. Homelessness, he believes will require following the holistic approach which the city has been following.

“You’re not going to arrest your way out of a homeless problem because arresting these people repeatedly is doing them no good.” 

Because homelessness is usually caused by unemployment, substance abuse, or mental health issues, he states that there is no quick fix for the problem. The Chief praised the work of the city’s Homeless Coordinator Schonna Greene and believes that in the long term there will be positive results.

The Chief went on to explain that the police can quickly remove homeless people from private property; and, when the right legal processes are followed, they can be removed from public property.

In the last portion of the interview, Chief Aldenberg says that the national anti-police narrative has affected his police force; but, overall, morale is high in the Manchester Police Department. He attributes the positive attitude to hiring good people, good training, and the support of the community.


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