The Missouri State Highway Patrol says it’s trying to more accurately reflect the diverse population it serves.
For Lieutenant Roger Whittler, a recruiter with the patrol, the statistics about the Missouri State Highway Patrol speak volumes.
“For instance right now, we’re under-represented by 77 females, and we’re under-represented by 64 blacks. And that’s what the numbers are, based on the US Census Bureau’s statistical reporting of those people in the population of Missouri who are qualified,” Whittler said.
Whittler says the highway patrol requires applicants to have 60 hours of college credit, or two years in the military, or two years’ prior experience. And it’s able to tell, based on Census data, how many people have those requirements.
“Approximately 10% of the population of African Americans, or blacks, have the requisite skills, but we only have 3%, or a little bit less than three percent of those demographics in our employment,” Whittler said.
Right now, women make up only 5% of the patrol ranks. And Whittler said Missourians occasionally give feedback, saying they’d like to see that change.
Whittler said the patrol doesn’t make any special considerations for minority applicants—the actual hiring is a blind process based solely on an applicant’s merits. But if the patrol recruits more heavily in minority communities, that will in turn boost the numbers of minorities applying, so that the entire applicant pool better reflects the general population.
