MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Milwaukee County officially has a new sheriff after Denita Ball was sworn into office on Friday.
Ball will serve as the first female sheriff in Milwaukee County, and Wisconsin will see its first African-American female sheriff in state history.
The swearing-in was held at the War Memorial Center at 11 a.m.
Watch: Denita Ball speaks at her swearing in ceremony
Ball grew up in a small town in Arkansas before making her way to Milwaukee and joining the police department where she spent more than 25 years working her way up the ranks.
She then pursued a career in higher education and earned her Ph.D. at Cardinal Stritch University.
In 2018, Ball became the highest-ranking woman in the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office under Sheriff Earnell Lucas.
In a previous interview, Ball said she didn't get where she is on her own.
"There were people who paved the way who made it easier for a woman to be in a male-dominated field so I'm just proud of that. Yes I'm the first but I have to make sure that I'm not the last," Ball said.
Ball said her priority as sheriff will be to make sure the jail is properly staffed.
"I think that our critical staffing level there is the cause of a lot of other issues that we're having," said Ball.
