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Highway Patrol Looking For More Female Troopers

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WAKE COUNTY, N.C. — Highway Patrol Sgt. Georgia Warren loves her job. The 47-year-old says there's a reason why she's stuck with a law-enforcement career for 16 years.

"(I love) the diversity and the people," said Warren.

As a female trooper, she's in the minority.

"It's typically been known as a man's job," said North Carolina Highway Patrol Lt. Everett Clendenin.

Just 2.3 percent of state troopers are women. The low numbers are a nationwide issue. South Carolina is in a similar situation with 2.9 percent, while females make up 5.5 percent of state police in Virginia.

The Raleigh Police Department, on the other hand, has a much higher percentage of women on the road, at more than 11 percent.

Highway Patrol officials said they believe women would rather be officers than troopers. Many potential applicants have expressed concern about being on the highway by themselves.

"When you are a trooper with the Highway Patrol, your closest back up realistically could be 20 minutes away, because there are fewer on the highway. That's something we hear," said Clendenin.

Recently, all 43 female troopers were called to Raleigh. Leaders wanted their advice on how they can better recruit females to the force.

"When women look at the highway patrol, it's as though they don't feel like they can apply for some reason," said Warren.

A new ad will start airing soon hoping to change the stereotype and the makeup of the North Carolina Highway Patrol. Some of the others ideas for recruiting women include offering ride-alongs with female troopers and identify graduates from women's colleges.

For more information, go to

www.ncshp.org

or contact the local Highway Patrol office.

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