New Minneapolis police class may be most diverse ever

More than half the cadets now at the Minneapolis Police Academy are either women or people of color. Officials say it may be the academy's most diverse class.

Eight women and seven men of color are part of the 26-member class of would-be officers that began training on Monday. "I am unaware of one being this diverse," department spokesman John Elder said.

The cadets will spend most of the day filling out paperwork, learning department rules and regulations and undergoing physical fitness testing, said Sgt. Steven Bantle, who heads the academy.

"I think the more life experience a candidate has, the more successful they're going to be," Bantle said. "There's always exceptions. People right out of school become great cops as well. But life experience seems to help tremendously."

The police department is more racially diverse than it's ever been. Nearly 21 percent of police officers are people of color, according to data from the city released late last year.

While that's not as diverse as the city as a whole, Chief Janeé Harteau has said increasing the number of minority and women officers is a top priority for her administration.

The newest cadet class also features an intriguing possibility.

One of the female cadets is the daughter of a Minneapolis police officer and the sister of a recent graduate of the academy, Bantle said.

"I think it's going to be our first father-daughter-son team on the Minneapolis Police Department," he said.

Cadets have completed the educational requirements needed to become police officers, but haven't received the skills training. Bantle says the Minneapolis Police Department provides that in a 29-week course.

However, he says one in five cadets drop out before they get to field training, which is when they go on patrol with a veteran officer.