Minnesota State Patrol joins ambitious nationwide push to recruit more women

Delaney Sletten was looking to work in public service, so she left behind a sales job with a trucking company and joined the Minnesota State Patrol.

A year and a half later, the 25-year-old is part of a small but growing number of women signing on with the patrol as the agency seeks to boost its ranks of female troopers and support staff from 10% to 30% by 2030.

"We need to make a push," said Lt. Col. Christina Bogojevic, who celebrated her 20th anniversary with the patrol on Tuesday as she took in the inaugural "State Trooper at the Capitol Day" in St. Paul. "Only one out of 10 times they see a woman, so [girls and women] don't see this as a profession — or if they do, they don't think they can have a family. All of that is false."

Tuesday's event on the State Capitol mall featured K-9 and drone demonstrations, antique police cars, a rollover simulator, a helicopter and exhibits to highlight the agency's work and recruitment efforts.

In the coming months, the patrol will hold similar outreach events at the Minnesota high school softball tournament in Mankato, the Minnesota State Fair, and at Juneteenth and National Night Out celebrations. In addition, troopers have been attending graduations and events at colleges.

Nationally, women make up just 12% of sworn law enforcement officers and 3% of police leadership, according to the 30×30 Initiative, a coalition of police leaders, researchers and professional organizations that have joined together to bring more women into policing and help them advance in their careers.

Last fall, Col. Matt Langer of the State Patrol signed a pledge committing the agency to the 30x30 Initiative. With more women on the force, he said, the patrol will better represent the state's population.

"We will get great troopers and the diversity will make the organization better," Langer said.

A decade ago, the patrol launched its Law Enforcement Training Opportunity (LETO) program to attract applicants who might not otherwise become troopers. Applicants must be 21 years old and hold a two- or four-year degree. The program has attracted people like Sletten, with backgrounds ranging from banking to technical and customer service industries. Bogojevic was once a phlebotomist.

Sarah Vaagenes joined the patrol four years ago, and said she is glad to see the agency actively recruiting women.

"You don't have to be or look a certain way," she said. "You only need respect, integrity, courage, honor and excellence," nodding to the patrol's five core values.

Research from 30x30 shows female officers use less force and less excessive force; are named in fewer complaints and lawsuits; are perceived by communities as being more honest and compassionate; see better outcomes for crime victims; and make fewer discretionary arrests.

Though the field is dominated by men, Sletten — who recently finished training to become a crash reconstructionist — encouraged women to make the leap into law enforcement.

"Don't let society's expectations or norms hold you back," she said. "In this job, you make it what you want it to be."