(1) When the commissioner of safety proposes to fill a vacancy in the highway patrol, the commissioner shall request the commissioner of human resources to certify the names of persons eligible for appointment.
(2) The commissioner of human resources shall certify to the commissioner of safety a list of the top eligible applicants from the register.
(3) Residence of the applicants shall be disregarded in making up such a list.
(4) In making appointments from among the eligible applicants on the list, the county of residence of the applicants may be considered in order to achieve some equitable distribution of positions in the state service in proportion to county populations.