CARRBORO- A changing of the guard takes place in Carrboro this weekend as the police department welcomes a new chief.

After nearly three decades of service to the town, Chief Carolyn Hutchinson is stepping down.

She joined the force in 1984 and rose through the ranks, earning the top job in 1998 when she became the state’s first openly gay police chief.

Taking her place will be Carrboro native Walter Horton. A 20-year veteran of the department, he recently beat out more than 100 applicants in a nationwide search for Carrboro’s next chief of police.

Horton takes over from Hutchinson on Sunday. He’ll be officially sworn in at 2:30 Tuesday afternoon at a ceremony in Carrboro Town Hall.