ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — For the first time in the history of the nation’s oldest city, the position of police chief will be held by a woman.
Commander Jennifer Michaux was officially sworn in on Wednesday. She will be the new St. Augustine Police Chief starting July 1 following the resignation of Barry Fox.
Michaux was in the Navy and landed in Jacksonville. In 1995, she joined the St. Augustine Police Department.
She was a beat officer in Lincolnville when it was the roughest part of town and plagued by drugs. Michaux has worked in the field and in the office.
"Taking care of our tourists is extremely important," she told First Coast News during an interview back in March. "If our tourists don’t feel safe, and we don’t put on our best face for them to come back, we’re going to hurt that industry. And that's the biggest part of our economy."
St. Augustine has its issues: homelessness, population growth, and it’s a hotbed for political and social rallies.
The department has 58 positions, and 54 are filled. There are ten women working for the St. Augustine Police Department. Michaux said she plans to hire more people and more minorities.
Michaux said one of her big goals is getting officers to build more relationships through their many talents.
"I’d like to get them back into the community and part of the community and buy-in," she said.