Corporal Denea Durham, Eastern Recruit Supervisor for the Pennsylvania State Police, discussed their needs for a diverse force and their special invitation to women to visit and train for a day at a September 24th Hiring Expo at their Police Academy. We discussed the force and the divisions within it, from highway traffic to criminal investigations the PA State Police provide full police services to more than 80% of the commonwealth. She spoke of the need for the police to reflect the people they serve and her efforts to recruit women and people of color. 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the first women graduates of the Academy and they are offering today’s young women the rare opportunity to visit the grounds for a Hiring Expo, participate in physical tests and work-outs and learn about careers within the force. Corporal Durham discussed her own path through the ranks, one of 12 female recruits in her class; she spent three years patrolling and then she was able to follow the communication field. She noted that there are more than 80 different areas to enter, from canine squads and horse patrols, to forensics and crime scene investigation. We discussed the acceptance within the ranks of women and those of color, she finds them open to troopers of different ethnicities, backgrounds, religion and gender.
You mut be registered for the Hiring Expo. For more information about the event or becoming a PA Trooper, visit PATrooper.com
To register for the Hiring Expo you can reach out to Corporal Durham at ddurham@PA.gov