Atlantic County's first female police chief sworn in

Donna Higbee (2nd from the left) is ceremoniously sworn in as police chief for Galloway Township on July 14.
Galloway Township Police/Facebook

First the first time a woman will head the police force in an Atlantic County town, 6 ABC reports

The Galloway Township Police Department announced Thursday that Acting Chief Donna Higbee had been officially sworn in to take the "acting" label off of her title. 

Higbee, a 13-year veteran of the department, worked her way up to Lieutenant before being named acting chief in June when Chief Patrick Moran retired. 

A ceremonial swearing-in took place July 14 after she assumed the office a week previously. 

Her father, Jon Higbee, served in the same police force for 27 years before retiring in 1999, according to 6 ABC. He is the most highly decorated officer in the department's history. 

Chief Higbee takes over a force of nearly 50 officers.