BELOIT, Wis. — Family members often pin badges on their law enforcement loved ones at promotional ceremonies. What made new Beloit Police Chief Schonella Stewart’s ceremony much more rare was that the badge was pinned by her twin sister — already a police chief herself, Evanston Now reported.
“You aren’t just making history, Schonella, you’re a survivor, you are history,” Evanston Police Chief Schenita Stewart said. “You’re a leading heart, proving that leadership grounded in love, sacrifice and commitment can transform not only a community, but our family, and future generations.”
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Schonella Stewart spoke at the ceremony about how she initially took a different path from her sister before eventually following in her footsteps.
“My sister (Schenita) wanted to be a police officer,” Schonella Stewart said. “I was a social worker. I believed that was my calling.”
Schonella, who holds a master’s degree in social work, went on to say that she was inspired to go into law enforcement by a mentor who encouraged her that her experience with social work would be a benefit to her policing career.
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Schenita Stewart was sworn in as police chief in Evanston in 2022, according to the report. She previously served in the Lincolnwood Police Department, rising to the role of deputy chief.
“Tonight, we celebrate not only an exceptional leader, but a great person, and my BFF,” Schenita said at the ceremony.
Both sisters thanked their mother and also expressed gratitude toward their late grandfather.
“He would always smile at me and say, ‘Oh boy, I don’t think the world is ready for you,’” Schonella said in ending her address. “I think the world is ready for me, papa. And if not, the community of Beloit, Wisconsin, is.”
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