RALEIGH, N.C. — A consulting company has been hired to conduct an in-depth review of the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

International consulting firm Kroll Inc. won a $98,000 contract to evaluate the agency's hiring, training and promoting policies. The selection was announced Tuesday.

Gov. Mike Easley ordered the review after several troopers resigned or were fired for misconduct during a two-month period. In one case, the Wake County district attorney dismiised more than 100 charges filed by a trooper accused of misconduct targeting young women for overnight traffic stops.

Kroll has conducted similar reviews for the Los Angeles and Detroit police departments, the Tennessee Highway Patrol and other agencies.

North Carolina public safety officials said an outside agency was necessary to ensure an independent review.

Kroll is expected to submit a written report within four months.

“We welcome a thorough internal review by an agency that is experienced and respected in the law enforcement and corporate communities,” Col. Fletcher Clay, the commander of the Highway Patrol, said in a statement. “We look forward to hearing Kroll’s recommendations for how we can more efficiently and effectively serve the citizens of North Carolina.”