GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Kent County Undersheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young has become the first female sheriff in the county's history.

A committee appointed her interim sheriff Thursday, Sept. 27, the same day they interviewed her and one other candidate, former-Kent County sheriff's Lt. Marc Burns.

LaJoye-Young will replace retiring Kent County Sheriff Larry Stelma for the remainder of his term, which ends in December 2020.

That fall, voters elect the county sheriff. LaJoye-Young can run, if she chooses.

LaJoye-Young will lead the department starting Nov. 1, the day Stelma retires.

When a sheriff dies, resigns, retires or otherwise leaves office during his or her term, state law mandates a trio of county officials appoint an interim top cop to fill the gap between elections.

That committee consists of Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons, Kent County Chief Probate Judge David Murkowski and Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker.

Murkowski lauded LaJoye-Young's "unparalleled knowledge" of the sheriff's office and said she received "wide-based community support" and respect from "every law enforcement agency across the state of Michigan and beyond."

"She has demonstrated throughout her career a great capacity and ability to lead and possesses an unwavering enthusiasm for the administration of justice," Murkowski said in a statement.

"The fact Michelle LaJoye-Young will serve as the first female sheriff for Kent County serves as the perfect exclamation point to a truly momentous day."

LaJoye-Young began her career at the sheriff's office as a corrections deputy in December 1989. From there, the former U.S. Army Reserves captain worked a number of leadership roles until becoming the undersheriff in June 2015.

She's been the office's first female lieutenant, captain, chief deputy, undersheriff and, now, sheriff.

It was a long-standing practice in Kent County for the top cop to leave in mid-term and allow a committee of county officials to choose a successor, according to Grand Rapids Press archives.

The tradition dating back to 1954 gave past undersheriffs an inside advantage as the office-holder going into the election. The chain was broken in 2000, when sheriff James Dougan announced he wasn't running for re-election.

Stelma, then the undersheriff, ran, won and held onto the position for 18 years.