After decades on the job, they had plenty of reasons to like working for the New Jersey State Police.

Dawn Curran, 53, was proud to be among an elite cadre of troopers selected to protect the state’s governors. Wanda Stojanov, also 53, believed in showing her daughters that women could excel in male-dominated careers. For Rebecca Hotchkin, 56, the job offered meaningful work, competitive pay and health care that helped save her life when she got cancer.