One-fifth of NYPD officers hired since 2006 born outside of United States.

Jan 4, 2010 8:24 am US/Eastern

NYPD Working To Improve Its Diversity

Department Says It's Attracting Growing Number Of Officers Born Outside U.S.

The New York Police Department says it's attracting a growing number of officers who were born outside the United States.

The department has been working to improve its diversity. It began tracking officers' nationalities in July 2006.

Of the 5,593 hired since then, 1,042 were foreign-born.

They came to the U.S. from 88 countries.

The Dominican Republic leads with 263 officers. Other contenders: Haiti, 78; Jamaica, 59; Pakistan, 29; and Russia, 18.

Commissioner Raymond Kelly says understanding different languages and cultures makes it easier for officers to do their "complex and demanding" work.

The police academy's latest graduates speak 28 languages, including Bengali, Punjabi, Yoruba and Creole.

The NYPD, the United States' largest police force, was established in 1845.

http://wcbstv.com/cbs2crew/nypd.diversi ... 03513.html