Mayor Thomas Menino advanced the woman’s movement one step further Sunday by naming Kathleen O’Toole as Boston’s first ever female police commissioner. But her selection is great not only for symbolic reasons – she’s a highly qualified candidate who has spent two decades patrolling Massachusetts streets and leading law enforcement into a new century.

Menino stepped up to the plate in full force after a horrendously controversial week surrounding the way Boston’s post-Super Bowl riots were handled last Sunday. Acting Commissioner James M. Hussey was also being considered for the position, but his decision to watch the big game instead of being on the job on one of the police’s biggest nights of the year clearly disqualified him.

Bias is a very sensitive issue for everyone – especially the police. Boston has an especially bad history with race relations. But naming a woman to the highest position in the police department is a huge step forward for other reasons. For a woman who began as a Boston cop, she has broken the glass ceiling and made her way up to the very top in an area of public service that is largely dominated by men. O’Toole can be seen as a role model for little girls in Boston and across the country.

O’Toole will bring a tremendous amount of experience to the position as well. She has worked on law enforcement at both the local and state levels and worked with politicians from both parties. From being a close advisor to Menino to playing a role in Gov. Mitt Romney’s transition team, O’Toole is clearly trusted by people on both sides of the aisle, and that sort of diplomacy is important in a role as important as head of the Boston Police Department.

In light of the recent controversies surrounding the riots, O’Toole will have her hands full from the very start. She must now use her experience to start strong communication between universities and the police department. The riots and how the police worked to contain them are serious issues and must be handled as such.

The previous administration is not entirely at fault for the post-Super Bowl problems, but changes must be made to prevent future problems. O’Toole should attempt to use the universities’ resources, including Boston University’s Police Department, to their advantage. By working together with the universities, she will start off on the right foot with both the schools and the city.

In a sector that is as male-dominated as the police department, it is an excellent sign that a woman can make her way to the top. O’Toole was an excellent choice and another step in the right direction for a department that has made great strides over the last several decades.