National Police Woman Day took place last weekend and it was heartening to see women officers celebrated by their departments for their contributions to the profession and for their commitment to the safety of their communities. Though women have gained ground in many professions including law enforcement, the profession remains a markedly male-dominated field. Women account for a small percentage of sworn law enforcement officers and an even smaller percentage of command staff and chiefs. At the APD, we have 63 officers, eight of whom are women. This puts us about even with national data that shows that women make up only 12% of sworn officers and 3% of leadership positions. However, police departments should reflect the makeup of the communities they serve and our department’s makeup in regard to gender is far from representative of the makeup of Arlington.
Speaking as one of two female police chiefs in Middlesex County and one of only a handful across the Commonwealth, it is clear that we need more women in policing and capable women officers should hold more leadership roles in policing.
In May, I proudly signed onto the 30×30 Pledge. The APD is one of about 100 agencies across the U.S. currently participating, and one of just three in the Commonwealth. Signing the Pledge indicates our commitment to improving the representation and experiences of women in law enforcement by understanding and addressing the barriers they may face, and ensuring they have the support they need to be successful in this career path. The initiative is based on the knowledge that women are very underrepresented in policing, though the knowledge of why this is limited. Overall, the 30×30 program aims to increase the representation of women in recruit classes to 30% by 2030, as well as support qualified female officers as they progress through their careers. It is believed that a group who achieves 30% representation is better empowered to influence an organization’s culture, thus positively impacting the hiring, promoting and recruiting practices long-term. Intersectionality is an important part of the initiative, too, which acknowledges how multiple facets of people’s identities affect the experiences they may have or the discrimination or bias they may face.
In addition to helping agencies become more representative of the people they serve, 30×30 also points to a significant amount of social science research on the link between gender representation and stops, arrests and uses of force; procedural justice and community trust; and crime victim outcomes. The social science research that guides the campaign can be found here. Research shows that hiring women as sworn officers can have a positive impact on public safety and wellbeing by reducing citizen complaints. This is shown in multiple studies, including reports on the New York City Police Department and the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and research based on complaint data from law enforcement agencies. Research done for the National Center for Women and Policing noted that a study of police training instructors showed that female officers are especially skilled in empathy toward others. Additionally, research completed at Michigan State University has shown that the presence of female police officers can have a calming effect on other officers in high-stress situations.
A key part of the Pledge is identifying barriers we may inadvertently cause or not recognize that prevent women from becoming police officers or pursuing promotions. I believe that there are barriers for women in policing such as family and the impact of the unconventional schedules police officers work. Women with families are less likely to find the time needed to study and prepare for promotional exams. Furthermore, once promoted, the most junior person of that rank will usually be assigned to the night shift, which is difficult for women officers with children, especially for those who are single mothers. The Civil Service process that governs our hiring practices can also be a barrier because it requires us to hire off of an established eligible list and does not always lend itself well to hiring local candidates or candidates of diverse backgrounds. By identifying and looking into barriers or other negative experiences women officers may have, we can understand why fewer women choose to go into policing or pursue promotions and find ways to provide resources or support to them.
We are currently in the first phase of the 30×30 Pledge objectives which includes collecting and reporting data on the demographics of our current sworn officers and working to understand the perspectives of our female officers. During this phase, which is targeted to be completed around November, we will also ensure hiring, retaining and promoting qualified women is a formal and publicly identified strategic priority; affirm zero tolerance for discriminatory practices or harassment; ensure nursing mothers have the necessary scheduling flexibility and facilities; and ensure the equipment for our female officers fits appropriately.
In the months following, we will work to collect demographic data regarding hiring, promotions, retention and recruitment. There are several “essential,” “strongly recommended” and “recommended” objectives that are part of the Pledge that we will work to complete. We will be reviewing this data to look for potential bias in our hiring and promotion procedures, or possible gender-relevant issues that may affect our retention or department culture. We will also look at our recruitment materials to ensure they are demographically representative and properly convey the responsibilities and expectations of a modern police officer.
In all, these actions are meant to help us increase the representation of women across all ranks and promote equitable hiring, retention and promotion practices, as well as ensure our personnel-related policies and procedures are free of bias and that our culture is inclusive, respectful and supportive. As we work to complete these objectives, the APD command staff will create a strategic plan that will help us address identified problems. The preliminary actions of the 30×30 initiative are expected to take place over a timeframe of about two years, though accomplishing the hiring and promoting that will be necessary to achieve the 30% goal will be a process spanning several years.
Diversity matters in law enforcement. Everyone brings different skills, experiences and perspectives, all of which have the ability to positively impact the department’s culture, procedures, training and the way we interact with our community. This becomes especially important as the role of police officers continues to evolve and certain skill sets, such as communication and empathy, become more and more valuable. It is my hope that through the 30×30 Pledge we will be able to identify and address barriers, as well as implement positive changes and support systems that will help women see both an encouraging path into law enforcement and opportunities for professional growth.