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A milestone for merit

Pennsylvania recently passed an important milestone – for all of us.

July marks the 50th anniversary of the first women serving in the Pennsylvania state police.

It’s an important milestone for women, of course, and it’s worth celebrating with our daughters, sisters, wives, mothers and grandmothers as well.

Women deserve the opportunity to serve and to pursue the careers offered by our police forces. We agree with Andrea Jacobs, a state trooper with the Milton barracks, who told the Sun-Gazette for its Wednesday edition that some witnesses and victims “feel more comfortable talking to a woman.”

We agree with Lauren Lesher’s thoughts on the first women to join the state police 50 years ago. Lesher, who serves at Troop F in Montoursville, told the Sun-Gazette she takes “much pride in their courage and drive to fight through the adversity that came with that decision.”

But beyond what this milestone means for women is what it means for everyone — another important step toward meritocracy, that is to those people whose progress is based on talent and ability rather than class, privilege or wealth.

The people of Pennsylvania deserve a state police force that hires the best and promotes the best — regardless of race, religion, personal beliefs or sex.

Hard work and a sense of responsibility should be what determines who gets a job or who gets a promotion. This is true in all professions, in all careers and callings. Our society works more effectively and delivers a higher quality of life to a greater number of people when the merits — the skills, talents and work ethic of people — determines what opportunities they will have.

And it becomes even more important when the work is as important as policing and public safety.

Our police are better prepared to fulfill their important and sometimes dangerous function in our society if their hiring and promotions are based on merit. Discrimination based on sex or any other characteristic is an obstacle to fulfilling that important function.

And so, even if you don’t have a daughter, wife, sister or mother with whom to celebrate this milestone, it’s still worth celebrating.

Because 50 years ago, the state police overcame a discriminatory practice of the past and took a monumental step closer to hiring and promoting based on merit — the approach that we are confident has fostered a state police force better equipped to meet the challenges of keeping Pennsylvania safe.

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