ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Chesterfield will be getting a new police chief next year, only the second in the City's history and it will be a woman.
In November, The Chesterfield City Council voted unanimously to approve and consent Chesterfield Mayor Bob Nation’s appointment of Cheryl Funkhauser as the city's next Chief of Police.
Funkhauser will takes suceed current Police Chief Ray Johnson, who is set to retire in early 2024.
Johnson have served as the inaugural Police Chief for Chesterfield since the position was created 35 years ago.
Funkhauser has served in the police department for nearly 30 years, joining the department in 1995. Before that, she was with the University City Police Department for two years and started her career as a dispatcher for Kirkwood Police.
"Law enforcement been kind of part of my life for many many years," said Funkhauser.
Wednesday, Funkhauser joined KMOX's Total Information A.M. to talk about taking over as Chief of Police and the problems that they see in Chesterfield.
Funkhauser tells Total Information A.M. she's been preparing for the role of Chief for a number of years as Captain. And she credits Chief Johnson as being her mentor.
"I've had a great mentor in (Johnson) and whether he realizes it or not, he's been preparing me for this role by giving me the responsibilities that he has been giving me," said Funkhauser.
While Funkhauser is set to take over until 2024, she is still preparing for the job as of right now. Funkhauser says she's now focusing on the mental preparation of becoming Chief.
"Getting yourself in the mindset that you're going to be