The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is making history.

Kimberly Marcum is the Polk County Sheriff’s office’s first female major.

“As a woman in this field it can be challenging. Especially, if you’re a mother and a wife, you wear multiple hats,” Marcum said.

For the last 20 years the major worked as a detention deputy at the county jail.

"It seems like just yesterday I started in the academy as a cadet,” she said.

Marcum said she knows this is a step in the right direction for the department.

“As far as the length of time it’s taken to have a female major, it can be a little disappointing but we’re here now," she said.

The major says she’s proud to be the first woman in this position but she doesn’t want people to forget about her years of experience, her education and her hard work that helped get her here.

And she’s encouraging other women to reach for the stars no matter what career field they’re in.

“It’s always been my view that there’s no such thing as the glass ceiling. If you have to work harder, then you work harder. If you have the ambition and the work ethic, you can make it,” she said.

Marcum has held the title of Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain with the department. She has a Bachelor’s degree in business management and a Master’s degree in criminal justice.