“There are several things that make you stand out as a candidate; one, you’re female…” It was Saturday, June 25, 2010, when I was told that at an interview with a law enforcement agency. Equal opportunity laws have made female candidates desirable when agencies look for new recruits. While very few can doubt that radical change has occurred within the field of policing, upon closer inspection it becomes apparent that women are still facing discrimination within the workforce. Many believe that policing is a man’s job—that women are unable to perform the tasks necessary to succeed as a peace officer. The old stigmas of what jobs are suitable for women still cling tightly to the workforce, in many cases preventing women from attaining their true working potential. The general perception of the female cop, however, is inconsistent with research findings.
Social stigmas attached to females—a perceived inability to drive, use a firearm, respond appropriately to violence, physical weakness, emotional instability—drastically affect the reactions to female law enforcement officers. Policing, after all, is a violent profession and women are perceived as docile creatures. So what, you might ask, can women possibly contribute to policing? Quite a bit actually. Research shows that women are not just an equally opportunity hiring practice, but rather a valuable, if not necessary, contribution to the police force.
While females are physically weaker than males this is only a minor hindrance. Physical strength has not been shown to predict general police effectiveness nor has it been shown that one’s ability to handle dangerous situations successfully is reduced due to a lack of strength. Policing is much more than fighting with everyone arrested. In fact, violence should be avoided and physical altercations kept to a minimum. Injured officers benefit no one. The job of the peace officer is to maintain order; while fighting cannot be avoided in every situation, it benefits all parties involved—officer, suspect and bystanders—when fighting is avoided.
Statistically, female officers reduce violence. Females are involved in fewer physical altercations with the suspects they arrest, have fewer reports of excessive use of force, and have a smaller amount of citizen complaints made against them. And when female officers are required to respond with force, they are as effective as men. Studies show that women are as driven as men when making arrests, usually having the same arrest statistics. (Garcia, 2003; Hoffman & Hickey, 2005) Overall, women have higher communication skills and are seen as more empathetic than men (Rabe-Hemp, 2008).
Good communication is imperative in police work. When the foundation of a criminal case is built on an officer’s ability to reasonably articulate events that occurred, communication skills become invaluable. With a recent shift in policing styles towards community oriented policing, the majority of police work has evolved into something less violent with a focus on community relations.
Works Cited
Garcia, V. (2003). "Difference" in the police department: Women, policing, and "doing gender". Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, pp. 330-344.
Hoffman, P. B., & Hickey, E. R. (2005). Use of force by female police officers. Journal of Criminal Justice March-April, pp. 145-151.
Rabe-Hemp, C. E. (2008). Female Officers and the ethic of care: Does officer gender impact police behaviors? Journal of Criminal Justice, 13.5: September-October, pp. 426-434.
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