Openly gay Sharon Lubinski, currently Minneapolis Police Department Assistant Chief, has been confirmed by the United States Senate as U.S. Marshall, the Minneapolis Star Tribune Blog reports. The announcement was made Monday morning by Senator Amy Klobuchar.

“Sharon Lubinksi will be an excellent U.S. Marshal. It was a pleasure to recommend her to the President, and I was honored to vote for her,” Klobuchar said in a statement. “Her mix of experience managing a large, urban police department and working in a rural sheriff’s office makes her uniquely qualified for this position. I know she will make Minnesota proud as she serves in this role.”

According to the Star Tribune:

Lubinkski was formally nominated for the post in October by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate in a flurry of pre-holiday legislative activity last week. U.S. Marshals oversee federal courthouse security, protect witnesses, transport prisoners, and catch federal fugitives.

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak released a statement as well praising Lubinski and Klobuchar:

“In her 20 years of leadership in Minneapolis , Sharon Lubinski has shown that she possesses a unique blend of toughness, caring and competence,” Mayor Rybak said. “She has been a shining of example of what a Minneapolis police officer — or any police officer — should be. While I am sad to see her leave the Minneapolis Police Department, I am thrilled that she will be sharing her talents with all of Minnesota as our state’s newest U.S. Marshal.

“I thank Senator Amy Klobuchar for wisely recommending Chief Lubinski for the post, and President Obama for nominating her. Minnesotans will be well served as a result of their actions,” Mayor Rybak concluded.