THP recruiting for cadet class, looking to fill more than normal job openings

The black lives matter protests over the summer.

News 12's dorothy sherman takes a look what recruitment has been like for one group of law enforcement officers and if they're seeing a need for new troopers.

Dsherman@wdef.com/dorothy sherman: "local tennessee highway patrol recruitment has not been slow, but i am told that there is a need for more troopers in the chattanooga district."

Ricky leavitt was out shopping at the hamilton place mall when he saw a tennessee highway patrol booth.

He's always wanted a career in law enforcement.

Ricky leavitt: "being a servant, being able to help other people that are in need and being able to wake up everyday knowing that i'm making a difference in the community."

Tennessee highway patrol is recruiting for its next cadet class.

Tennessee highway patrol trooper toni jenkins: "we're not just out writing tickets our main goal is to try to save lives of all the people on the roadways in tennessee."

They say recruiting has not been slow, but they have around 20 openings in the chattanooga district.

That's more than normal.

Tennessee highway patrol trooper toni jenkins: "a lot of our troopers a lot of sergeants have retired and with promotions is has opened up some vacancies that we are looking to fill."

Thp is trying to recruit people of all kinds to encourage diversity.

Tennessee highway patrol trooper toni jenkins: "i think that most of the time people are scared to go out of their comfort zones and not do what maybe somebody in their background has not done and so a lot of people who become a state trooper, their father was a state trooper or their grandfather was a new state trooper and getting a new norm has been difficult, but we are encouraging that somebody has to be the first one and we are encouraging more females to try and different backgrounds and different races to come out and be like you can be the first one in your family and it's okay."

As for leavitt, he plans to begin the process to work in law enforcement next year.

Dsherman@wdef.com/dorothy sherman: "thp's next 16 week cadet class starts in june.

They're taking applications now until feb.

2nd.

In chattanooga, dorothy sherman, news 12 now."