Female Patrol Officers: A Review of the Physical Capability Issue (From Criminal Justice System and Women, P 413-425, 1982, Barbara Raffel Price and Natalie J Sokoloff, eds. -- See NCJ-115340)

• NCJ Number: 115361
• Author(s): R D Townsey
• Date Published: 1982
• Length: 13 pages
• Sale Source: Clark Boardman Company, Ltd
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

Data from eight different types of police departments show that women perform the patrol function as ably as men and that it is feasible to hire and deploy women as officers.

Abstract

Data from 221 municipal and 36 State police departments indicate that most require stringent physical agility tests, many of which appraise abilities that police officers are not required to perform as part of their job duties (e.g., situps, pushups, broad jumps). While in some cases such testing may be used to screen women out, such tests have a disparate impact on women whether intentionally discriminatory or not. Two nondiscriminatory approaches, used by the Miami Police Department and the New Jersey State Police, include a less discriminatory assessment method and a 6-week period during which an applicant who has previously failed can retake the test along with physical training classes for female recruits. 5 notes and 22 references. (Author abstract modified)