St. Paul police promote 2nd Indigenous sergeant in department history

for only the second time. The ST paul Police Department promoted a female native american officer to the rank of sergeant Jessica stiff arm. It was also a National Guard member was promoted today after seven years on the force. She's the only native american woman to hold that rank in the department. Our rich Chapman has more from this trailblazer as she prepares to lead. I'm chip awa in grove on Jessica stiff arm is proud of her native american heritage and just as proud as her service to country and community. Since the age of 17 she has worn this uniform. She's been deployed four times during her 20 year career. I love the military. How else can I serve at this capacity? And that's when I got into law enforcement because they're very similar. You have that teamwork, that bond and then you're also um able to help people and be a part of something bigger and figure out solutions for people and just continue to be able to help every day. A first sergeant in the Minnesota National Guard and now a sergeant with the ST paul Police Department, an historic promotion for me. What it means is the opportunity to be that leader and mentor that everybody else that have done that for me that I can do that for other people until she was told she had no idea she is only the second indigenous woman to be promoted to that rank in the department's 170 year history. Many um native american um leaders that have paved the way and I hope to continue to do that for future generations. Connecting with community is a priority. Stiff arm hopes to tell the next generation to dream big and work hard. More importantly, find a mentor and grab onto everything they teach. There are some days you don't feel like you know, you don't really believe in yourself and some days your mentors are the ones believing in you and telling you that and that's how you get through those tough things in ST paul Reg Chapman WCCO News. Stiff arm is in charge of 80 soldiers and as part of the native american special emphasis council that promotes diversity and equity in the National Guard. She begins her police duties as patrol supervisor in ST paul's east district this evening.