
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 15, 1992                   TAG: 9203150132
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: E4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

STATE POLICE OBJECT TO OPEN PROMOTIONS

The director of the Department of Personnel and Training says a new policy requiring state police to open their promotions to candidates from the public is based on fairness.

"Every job in the state is funded by taxpayers," Dorthula Powell-Woodson said. "It would be unfair that they can't apply for it."

She said it behooves the public for state police to hire the best applicants for positions above the entry trooper level.

State police already openly recruit for entry-level sworn positions, but they say extending the practice to higher-ranking positions will hurt morale and reduce troopers' chances for advancement.

The directive will greatly expand the pool of qualified minorities for state police positions above the rank of trooper. State police policies have come under scrutiny because relatively few women and blacks have been hired and promoted within the agency.

- Associated Press

by CNB