As the NYPD tries to find ways to recruit more blacks and women, a significant promotion was held for a person who is both. The two-star chief spoke about her goals to diversify the NYPD. NY1's Dean Meminger filed this report. 

History has been made: Kim Royster was promoted to Assistant Chief, making her the highest ranking African-American woman in NYPD history. It is quite an accomplishment, especially for a woman who wasn't even an officer when she joined the department 30 years ago.

"I started as a police administrative aide. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a clerical worker. And I decided to be sworn in as a police officer in 1987," Royster said.

For the last five years she has been the commanding officer of public information, dealing with the media. Now she will head the NYPD's candidate assessment division, working to increase diversity—especially hiring more black men.

"There's no secretly nationally that there is an issue or challenge with hiring minorities and women, but specifically African-American males. And what we are looking to do is get the best candidate possible," she said.

NY1 reported exclusively earlier this year on the shrinking number of blacks becoming officers. Some said blacks were unfairly disqualified during the screening process; others said many black men don't want to be officers because of the aggressive policing they experienced. 

In January, only 7 percent of the recruits entering the NYPD Academy were black men.

That number rose to 11 percent in the July class.

Police Commissioner William Bratton says with the promotion of Royster as well as Assistant Chief James Murtagh as commander of the personnel bureau, diversity will only increase. 

"Reflective of the major efforts that we will be making in improving our applicant and recruiting and recruiting screening processes. All of which are significantly underway and which will now be under their able leadership," said Bratton.

Royster has this message. 

"If they want to be a part of the change and if they want to serve in this great city, this is the place to do it."

Royster says she hopes her promotion will be an inspiration to other women that they can achieve their goals, too.