Recruitment and Retention of Women Officers: Lessons Learned Brief from the IAWP Gender Diversity in Policing Summit

Abstract

This report is part of a series of Lessons Learned Briefs from the International Association of Women Police (IAWP) Gender Responsive Policing Summit ‘Gender Diversity in US Policing – Progressing Words into Action’ (30 – 31 March 2023).

Full text

This report is part of a series of Lessons Learned Briefs from the International Association of Women Police (IAWP) Gender
Responsive Policing Summit ‘Gender Diversity in US Policing – Progressing Words into Action’ (30 – 31 March 2023)
Recruitment and Retention of Women Officers
Within local police departments in the US, women represented about 14% of full-time sworn officers in
2020.1 The recruitment and retention of women police officers is an international challenge that several
speakers expressed. ACC Harrison of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (UK) noted that her agency
experienced recruiting issues and only about 14% of armed officers are women. According to Captain
Petillo, the Los Angeles Police Department (CA, US) is averaging between 19-20% women in their academy
classes. Even police agencies with higher numbers of women recruits, such as the National Police in
Iceland, with 46% women applicants, still express difficulty with the retention of these officers. Identifying
ways to recruit and retain women is necessary to advance gender equality in policing. During the IAWP
Summit, police representatives from various agencies addressed challenges and proposed plans to reform
the recruitment and retention of women in policing.
Key takeaways
 Police agencies should develop action plans to support recruitment efforts that attract women and
create programs and resources to help alleviate barriers to retaining officers, including promoting
women’s health and well-being and flexible working opportunities.
 To achieve gender equality, agencies need to build a culture of inclusion that supports women officers
and promotes the role of Women's Police Associations.
 Some agencies have implemented Gender Equality Agendas or delivery plans that use gender-blind
promotional processes (in which assessors do not know the applicants’ gender), affirmative action,
and promote supportive working environments to encourage women and other underrepresented
groups to join and remain in their agencies.
 Agencies should use exit interviews and surveys to understand the needs of women within the
workforce and to address sensitivity around gender issues within their organizations.
Innovative strategies
Speakers highlighted the importance of developing plans to help recruit and retain women officers.
Colonel Canolli described their Gender Equality Agenda – which contains a mentoring program for women
police from the academy, confidential reporting channels for police personnel, and positive action for
women officers. Under positive action, individuals from underrepresented backgrounds receive an
advantage when they achieve the same score on applicant and promotional exams as those with a
majority background, enabling historically underrepresented groups to advance. To understand why
women leave the profession, they conduct exit interviews or surveys with all officers who have resigned.
Chief Inspector Gore discussed their Female Recruitment, Retention and Progression Delivery Plan. She
emphasized the importance of leadership, mentoring and coaching, promoting women’s health and
wellbeing, and providing flexible work opportunities. Flexible working possibilities might include part-
time, job sharing (i.e., where more than one person shares a single post), and agile workers (i.e., where

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people can work from any location).2 Chief Inspector Gore and Colonel Canolli expressed how these work
options help with familial responsibilities and health concerns women may encounter.
Other agencies highlighted the importance of changing the culture within agencies and using outside
reviews to assess how women feel in their jobs. Commissioner Guðjónsdóttir, for example, used outside
reviews to show the level of harassment occurring within their organization and then began implementing
changes from the reviewers’ recommendations.
Women police associations
Changing the culture of policing was a theme that emerged in several sessions. IAWP Board Member
Jackson discussed how women's police associations can aid in changing culture by advocating, networking,
and mentoring fellow officers. She highlighted that these associations can lead and advise policy changes
and implement initiatives to help women officers. These associations have assisted movements such as
the 30X30 Initiative and HeForShe in addition to advancing women’s health policies. To find women police
associations, it is important to network or use social media to connect with local groups.
30x30 Initiative
Many police agencies within the US have signed onto the 30x30 Initiative, which aims to increase the
representation of women in police recruit classes to 30% by 2030.3 Specifically, 30x30 requires signing
agencies to identify and address the obstacles that women officers face in recruitment and during their
careers. The goal is to develop programs that foster organizational change supporting women. Chief Clary
stated that departments need to be intentional about recruiting women, and 30x30 is a good place to
start. Similarly, Retired Chief Constable Foulkes, believes that 30x30 is important because it allows
agencies to openly discuss gender inequality with women having a seat at the table.
Barriers
Chief Inspector Gore reminded the audience that police forces should represent the population, but most
are far from that. Barriers such as implicit bias and discrimination must be overcome to achieve full
inclusion of women in policing. ACC Harrison indicated that this requires buy-in from everyone, including
the men in police agencies. Several speakers noted how the physical test varies widely across police
agencies and poses another barrier to recruitment if existing metrics emphasize upper-body strength and
other metrics that are challenging for women physiologically. As IAWP Board Member Jackson stated, “if
we care about policing, shouldn’t we care about its progress?”.
Participants cited
Carl Foulkes, Retired Chief Constable, North Wales Police (UK); Ken Clary, Chief, Bellevue Police Department (NE,
US); Lisa Gore, Chief Inspector, New South Wales (UK); Lisa Jackson, IAWP Board Member and Affiliate Liaison;
Louise Harrison, Assistant Chief Constable (ACC), Civil Nuclear Constabulary (UK); Robin Petillo, Captain, Los
Angeles Police Department (CA, US); Sigríður Björk Guðjónsdóttir, Commissioner, Icelandic National Police; Taibe
Canolli, Colonel, Kosovo National Police
References and resources
1. Goodison, S. E. (2020). Local Police Departments Personnel, 2020.
2. College of Policing (2023). Flexible working in the police service.
3. 30X30 Initiative. (2023). The 30X30 Pledge.