Meet Jefferson County Sheriff Reggie Marinelli

Jefferson County has a new sheriff, one that is making history. Sheriff Reggie Marinelli was sworn in as the county's first female elected to the position. She is also the first Democrat in decades to hold the position. 

"It's interesting to say sheriff," said Marinelli. 

She ran a campaign urging a vote not for a woman, but for an experienced sheriff's office employee who has done most every job over 36 years.

"I was very adamant that we don't bring gender into it. I wanted people to vote for me, because of my experience and my capabilities."

One of her priorities will be the jail and improving mental health services to inmates.

"So we can get some therapy to these people who are crimes committed because of addiction."

But Marinelli emphasizes her priorities go much further, "We need to take care of our victims. We need to take care of our citizens at the end of that. We also need to take care of those people that we arrest."

Her first day on the job, she addressed those she had served alongside for so many years. Their mental and physical health is of utmost importance because without them she cannot do the job for which she was elected.