Suffolk Police Capt. Stephanie Burch will become the first woman ever to attain the rank of Major in the department during a promotion ceremony April 1 at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts.

Burch and 16 other members of the city’s police department are set for promotion during the 7 p.m. ceremony.

She currently heads the Criminal Investigation Division and will lead the department’s Operations Division, which includes Uniform Patrol and Criminal Investigations divisions, in her new assignment.

Chief Thomas Bennett will lead the ceremony.

Others who will be promoted include:

To the rank of Captain: Lt. C. Steve Patterson

To the rank of Lieutenant: Sgt. J.D. Buie

To the rank of Sergeant: Detective J. McCarley, Investigator T.A. Smith and Master Police Officer M.T. Erie

To the rank of Master Police Officer: Investigator D.L. White, Officer C.R. Butler, Officer D.W. Chipman, Officer J.B. Carr, Investigator K.T. Dodson, Officer B.A. Wages, Officer J.N. Whitehead and Officer D.F. Jordan

To the rank of Senior Police Officer: Officer W.B. Williams and Officer C.A. Scherer