Good practice case studies in the advancement of women in policing

Abstract

Research shows that increasing the number of female officers is beneficial to policing. However, women remain a minority in police departments throughout the world, and the better performing departments have, on the whole, achieved female representation at only 25%, with senior women at 10%. There is also very little research on effective strategies for making large improvements. Consequently, this study aimed to identify and explain above average achievements in the status of women in policing. Following a worldwide search, five cases were identified: one involved female recruits (North Wales), two involved officer numbers (Cumbria and Surrey), and two involved women in senior ranks (Hertfordshire and South Africa). Efforts to identify possible influences were limited by a lack of information about strategies, including in response to requests for information. However, there were indicators that outcomes were related to senior management commitment, explicit targets, monitoring, flexible employment and a range of support mechanisms such as mentoring and leadership programmes. The findings emphasize the need for more research on what works in optimizing women’s participation in police work.

Gender equity approach to policing in Kenya: Lessons, challenges and prospects

“…Likewise, previous studies suggest that women have better emotional intelligence than men, which is important for modern-day policing (Natarajan, 2014;Ward and Prenzler, 2016). A recent development in police operations is the formation of all-female formed police units in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations.…”

“…Study after study shows that female police officers are not only as competent as their male colleagues, but also less likely to use excessive force against citizens (Brandl and Stroshine, 2013; Paoline and Terrill, 2004; Rabe-Hemp, 2008), receive fewer complaints from citizens (Porter and Prenzler, 2017), are less likely to die by suicide (Wormer and Bartollas, 2000), and are much less involved in misconduct than are male police officers (Greene et al, 2004; Lersch, 1998). Studies have also informed that women have better emotional intelligence than men, which is a quite important trait that is needed for modern-day policing (Jadhav and Havalappanavar, 2009; Joseph and Newman, 2010; Ward and Prenzler, 2016). Further, evaluation of gender-sensitive policing illustrates that more women in policing increases public confidence and satisfaction, and reduces violence against women (Darak et al, 2017).…”

Re-theorizing the progress of women in policing: An alternative perspective from the Global South

“…The implication is that 'developing' societies should follow the lead of the developed countries of the Global North if they wanted to prosper (Connell, 2007: 44). This linear liberal feminist concept of progress has dominated the theoretical landscape in criminology for more than two decades to define and measure the progress of women in policing (see, for example, Humiston and Rabe-Hemp, 2020;Morash et al, 2006;Prenzler and Sinclair, 2013;Ward and Prenzler, 2016).…”

“…Brown (1997) broadly refers to these systemic boundaries as the glass ceiling. The proportion of women employed is understood in this approach to signify a take-off point for women in policing and a tipping point for cultural change (see, for example, Humiston and Rabe-Hemp, 2020;Morash et al, 2006;Natarajan, 2008;Prenzler and Sinclair, 2013;Ward and Prenzler, 2016). The take-off point stage is predicted to occur at 25% (Heidensohn, 1989in Brown, 1997.…”

A police service in transformation: implications for women police officers

“…On the one hand, men are more likely to have been affected by the imposition of Police Regulation A19 whereby officers with full pensionable service may be required to resign on the grounds of efficiency and has been used by 15 police forces since 2010 to dismiss groups of older, often more senior, officers as a way of reducing their workforce sizes in response to cuts to their budgets (Crawford, Disney and Simpson, 2016). On the other hand, Ward and Prenzler (2016) report some forces have actively sought to enhance the recruitment of women by facilitating flexible working arrangements and child care support.…”