Officials in Hillside are announcing the promotion of the city's first black police captain.
According to officials, Lashonda Burgess, was promoted to captain on April 3, after serving on the Hillside police force since 2002.
Burgess is a graduate of Hillside High School's class of 1991 and earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Union County College.
According to officials, in 2007, she became the city's first female police sergeant, then later promoted to police lieutenant.
Burgess also served as a resource officer at Hillside High School and served the D.A.R.E program in the city.