On the Move; The Status of Women in Policing

• NCJ Number: 128410
• Author(s): S E Martin
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 119 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Ford Foundation
• Sale Source: Police Foundation
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A study initiated by the Police Foundation in 1987 found that the proportion of female police officers and supervisors has grown steadily since 1978, but that women still constitute a small minority in policing.

Abstract

The study included a national mail survey of State and municipal police departments and detailed case studies of five major city police agencies. The mail survey questionnaire sought information on police department policies and procedures related to recruitment, selection, and promotion; the number and percentage of male and female officers by ethnic group, rank, and assignment; male and female officer turnover rates; and personnel policies related to women including those on affirmative action, sexual harassment, and pregnancy and maternity leave. It was found that about 20 percent of current applications and recruits are female. Once women apply, there does not appear to be systematic discrimination against their selection, although there is wide variation among police departments in both application and acceptance rates. Case studies in Detroit, Birmingham, Chicago, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. illustrate the diversity of procedures used to recruit women and variations in the proportion selected. Women officers have performance evaluations as high as those of men, use slightly more sick leave than men, receive a greater number of nonpatrol assignments than men, and hold somewhat different assignments than male officers. Sex differences in assignments are related to formal organizational policies such as seniority rules, civilianization, criteria for obtaining specialized assignments, management's commitment to equal employment, informal influence networks, and individual officer preferences and skills. Women represent a small minority of mid-level police supervisors and are virtually excluded from command-level positions. While sex discrimination persists, it appears to be less frequent, blatant, and organized than in the past. Major alterations in both occupational structures and culturally defined behavior patterns are needed to eliminate the remaining barriers women officers face. Recommendations to accelerate the integration of women in policing are offered. 85 references and 49 tables