FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Massachusetts State Police have made a pledge to recruit more female officers as part of a national initiative to change the makeup of policing in the United States.
The "30X30" pledge, started by the New York University School of Law Policing Project, wants to make recruit classes of police forces nationwide 30% female by the year 2030.
State Police Superintendent Christopher Mason said that women make up only five percent of the Massachusetts State Police force right now. Mason said a recent reckoning on the police has made recruiting much harder.
"Recruiting continues to be a challenge, not only for the Massachusetts State Police, but nationally," he said.
The State Police is one of 55 departments taking part in the initiative so far. Mason says the department hopes to learn the best strategies for recruiting and keeping more female officers from the other departments.
WBZ's Art Cohen (@artcohenboston) reports:
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