INTERNATIONAL: New York City Mayor-elect Eric Adams has appointed a woman to serve as commissioner of the city's police department for the first time in its 176-year history on Wednesday.

Adams, himself a former New York City police captain, has introduced Keechant Sewell at a news conference in Queens. The mayor-elect was quoted as saying; "She's the woman for the job. I'm so proud of what she has accomplished and what she is going to accomplish."

Adams says he is so proud to tear down barriers. He mentioned that Sewell was an amazing law enforcement professional, who carried with her throughout her career, a sledgehammer, and she crushed every glass ceiling that was put in her way. And on Wednesday, she has crashed and destroyed the final one people need in New York City. The city has a strong, powerful new police commissioner, Chief Sewell. Her appointment is a powerful message to girls and young women across the city -- there is no ceiling to one’s ambitions.

Sewell is a 23-year veteran of the police department in Nassau County, New York, where she is chief of detectives. She will be New York City's third Black police commissioner.

"I am mindful of the historic nature of this announcement," she said. "It is said that the NYPD is the best of the best. We're about to get even better. My shoes are laced up. I'm ready to get to work."

^{PHOTO: VARIOUS OF NEWS CONFERENCE WITH ERIC ADAMS AND KEECHANT SEWELL}