The New York State Police are working to diversify their ranks like never before. The recruiting effort could change the look of the Thin Blue Line.   

“We cover the entire state of New York, so we are responding to calls, we have a lot of special units," said Trooper Diane Caraballo.

The daily rush is something Caraballo thrives on.

“I love starting off with a 911 call and having no idea of, you know, who the suspect is or all the details of the case," said Caraballo.

It’s also a job that allows Caraballo to show pride in who she is.

“I had a specific event that I went to and it was such a big deal for the people that were there that I was Hispanic, and that I was a female,” Caraballo said.

In September, Caraballo added “recruiter” to her job title. It’s important, as the New York State Police looks for a more diverse workforce.

"We definitely need more diversity," said Caraballo. "I can say that being Hispanic, being a female. We need more Hispanics, more females."

Two decades ago, Trooper Nicole Drew was a special ed teacher.  

“I always wanted to go into a career in law enforcement,” said Drew.

Now, 19 years into this career, drew spends much of her time recruiting the next class of state troopers.

“We're looking for individuals with, you know accounting degrees with, you know, teaching degrees, social work, all different types of backgrounds, because that wide variety background makes you a better trooper," said Drew.

Currently, 87% of New York State Troopers are white. Fewer than 12% are female.     

“We need to have a police force that reflects the community that we serve," said Trooper Mark O'Donnell. "It's really that simple. You can't just have blond hair, blue-eyed white males in a police force.”

"I’ve gone through a lot of things and I'm really big on sharing my background because I want to hopefully teach someone that they can definitely make it," said Caraballo. "I'm not perfect, I didn't have a perfect upbringing, it was very, a very broken home. So my hope is to be that role model."

They're setting an example for others to follow.

“Hopefully, just with us being able to reflect that," Caraballo said. "It will change things that will get people more hope that they can do it also.”

The New York State Police entrance exam will be conducted January through April 2022. Applications are being accepted now. For more information, click here.