The first female police chief in Montgomery County history could soon make more history as the county's first female Sheriff.

Gov. Tom Corbett has nominated Eileen Whalon Behr, retired Whitemarsh Police Chief, to serve as Montgomery County Sheriff for the remainder of 2011.

If confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate, Behr will fill the office of the late Sheriff John P. Durante, who passed away in February 2010.

Behr will also receive a tremendous boost toward a full four-year term as Sheriff. She is one of two Republicans seeking the party's nomination to run for Sheriff in November.

The other GOP candidate is Robert J. Durante, who is no relation to the late Sheriff Durante, but should receive a lot of support because of confusion over the name. The Democratic candidate, William A. Holt Jr., is running unopposed in the primary.

Behr is the endorsed candidate of the Montgomery County Republican Committee.

"Chief Behr has dedicated her life to public service. During her tenure as Chief of Police in the Whitemarsh Police Department, she has made it one of the premiere departments in the County," Montgomery County Republican Committee Chairman Bob Kerns said. "She has distinguished herself in the field of law enforcement, as well as in the community."

Behr began her career as a police dispatcher with the Whitemarsh Police Department at the age of 19, and has held several positions within the department over the past 35 years – patrol, traffic safety and accident investigation, juvenile detective, detective sergeant, and chief of police, the first female chief in Montgomery County.