Fourteen women joined the ranks of the Pennsylvania State Police in July 1972 — 50 years ago. They were part of the 31st Cadet Class — the first to admit women.

Pennsylvania State Police was the nation’s first state police agency to fully integrate female troopers into the regular command structure.

Today, there are more than 250 women who are officers or Troopers.

We look back to that first class and today’s women in the State Police on Tuesday’s Smart Talk with Lt. Col. Krystal Turner-Childs, the Deputy Commissioner of Staff for PSP and Romaine Edwards, who was the first woman to apply for the Cadet Class.

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