Beth McCann is now doing the job she really wanted to do, making history as the first female district attorney in Denver.

McCann, who defeated independent candidate Helen Morgan in last fall’s general election, was sworn in to office Tuesday, Jan. 10, before a couple hundred supporters, family, friends, colleagues and other elected officials in the City and County of Denver.

“I realized when I was working as a deputy in the DAs office that this is the job I really wanted,” McCann told the crowd. “I always wanted to be a prosecutor, representing the citizens of this state and this city in some really horrific crimes.”

McCann said public safety is one of the most important roles for government.

“I ran because I believe in the work we do to keep the city safe and represent the citizens,” she added. “But I also want us to be leaders in the prevention of crime with programs like alternative incarceration in appropriate instances.”

McCann said the DAs office is “where we can have the most impact in how justice is administered.”

“Many people feel they don’t get justice in our system,” she added. “They want a wide lens when it comes to law enforcement and they want equal justice for all.”

McCann also pledged to “hold law enforcement accountable if they break the law,” and was met by cheers from the audience.

McCann, a two-term Democratic state lawmaker, noted she had supported legislation to reduce mandatory minimum sentences and was a proud sponsor of gun safety laws after the Aurora movie theater shootings and Sandy Hook massacre.

“I can tell you that prosecution of those types of cases will be a top priority,” she said to more applause.

McCann’s background also includes serving as deputy attorney general in the Colorado Attorney General‘s office, director of the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses, coordinator of the Denver Safe City Office and manager of safety for the Denver Department of Public Safety.

Along with McCann, her assistant DA, Ryan Bradley, deputy DAs and staff investigators were also sworn in by Michael Martinez, chief judge in the 2nd Judicial District, which covers the City and County of Denver.

Other speakers included state Sen.-elect Rhonda Fields, D-Denver, who served in the state House with McCann. Fields recalled McCann as a lawmaker not afraid to take on contentious issues, such as home foreclosures, human trafficking and gun safety.

“That commitment to taking on the top issues comes from her talent for collaboration to get things done,” Fields added. “You have a champion in Beth McCann.”

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said these are times when there are so many threats to the last words in the Pledge of Allegiance, “with liberty and justice for all.”

“I hope we all see the coalition out there who is ready for a breath of fresh air of leadership that you bring to this office,” Hancock said to McCann. “The election results we saw nationally and elsewhere was the people saying it’s time for new air. I know we’ll all be proud to call you our DA. It’s a new day dawning in this office, with a caring, passionate public servant. We got it right.”