Philadelphia Police Continue Effort To Create A Diverse Workforce
By Steve Patterson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Pomp. Prestige. Pride.
In one moment, young men and women were both handed immense power and charged with the weight of incredible responsibility.
"I believe in the young generation. I feel like we can make a difference and that's the reason we're all here today. We took the oath. We took this job because we know we can take a difference."
Brand new Philadelphia Police Officer Brian Strong is exactly what the department is looking for - A young African-American male dedicated to community policing in an era when his new bosses say those traits are hard to find.
"We're having trouble recruiting in general but specifically with minorities and women," Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey admitted at the Police Academy Graduation at Temple University on Friday.
Ramsey was overseeing the graduation of Class 372.
Out of a total 75 graduates, 49 were white, 26 minorities and only 13 women.
The percentages here reflect what's happening overall.
In the latest estimates the department is about 57 percent white, 33 percent black, 8 percent Hispanic and 78 percent male.
Compare that with the city which, as of 2013 was about 36 percent white and about 62 percent combined black, Hispanic and Asian.
"We just want to have a diverse workforce the best we can. So it takes, really, a diverse effort to try and attract people," Ramsey said.
That effort is spearheaded by 10 men and women making up the newly retooled Philadelphia Police Recruiting Unit.
"We always want to produce more women and definitely more minorities on the police department. We definitely want to make sure the officers we have on the street reflect the community they're serving," said Sergeant Robert Ryan.
Ryan heads up the unit he says is now getting more aggressive by canvasing specific neighborhoods, reaching out to diversity groups like the NAACP and also advertising more competitive incentives like college credit acceleration.
New Member Diane Cortes says she is battling on multiple fronts.
"Reaching out to the Latino Community and also reaching out to females."
All in the effort to find, mentor and empower as many Brian Strongs as possible.
"It's just about who's applying. I see the change. Is it a huge change? Maybe not, but it's definitely a change," Strong said.
