Law enforcement is an important figure in all communities and play an essential role in maintaining peace and stability. During the rise of policing in America, the police force was exclusively made up of men. In the late 1800s, women were employed by police departments under the duty of police matrons. This paper will discuss the role women played in police departments and the statistical representation of minority women in policing. Also, positive and negative viewpoints to lowering the standards for women officers, and the differences between female officers and their coequals in policing. Lastly, this paper will discuss two women that have become staples in law enforcement, Retired Chief Cathy Lanier of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia and Assistant Chief Juanita Holmes of Queens North.
The number of women and their roles in policing has increased substantially from the time women were first permitted in the field. The history of women in the police force can be traced back to the Territorial West, where several women aided their husbands, who were sheriffs, with the duties (Archbold & Schulz, 2012). Some of the women were authorized to carry out arrests. Even with this power, many were not officially considered police officers (Archbold & Schulz, 2012, p. 695). At the official inception of women in policing their duties were limited to overseeing the wellbeing of juvenile and women convicts. According to Kurtz, Linnemann & Williams (2012), the dominating concept when women initially entered the force was that men did not have the nurturing competence that was necessary to attend to women and children offenders and victims (p. 241). Women’s objectives were to provide sufficient shelter, clothing, and nutriment. In the 1970s, women officers’ role progressed into patrolling and other roles previously exclusive to men. One of the historical events that occurred that supported increasing women duties in police departments was the enactment of the Civil Rights Act, specifically Title VII. Even though women have been able to broaden their duties, they were still frequently assigned in certain units of the department that were associated with their feminine attributes. For example, according to studies (Kurtz, Linnemann & Williams, 2012), women were still overly represented in certain police stations in the Domestic Abuse Unit. In addition to the fight to get women in the police force, there was also a struggle for representation of minority women.
Minority females being permitted to join the field of policing was significant because they diverge from the preferred standard of society in both gender and race. In research of race as it relates to the police force, the commonality is that prejudice toward race in policing is still a prevalent occurrence, especially against African American female police officers (Felkenes & Schroedel, 1993, p.65). Studies exhibit that minority female officers make up a small percentage of police departments (Shusta et. al, 2015). This research could be supported with the statistics that minority female officers have a higher recycling rate than white female officers and their male coequals. Moreover, the 1979 survey conducted by the Police Foundation of 387 city police departments displayed that in both hires and promotions, black female officers made an extremely less progression than white female and black male officers. Over the years, the black female representation in hiring and promotion has begun to increase to some extent. Another minority group that displayed an increase in the police force is Hispanic female officers. They increased from .2% to 2.7% of sworn in officers between 1980 and 1990 in the Los Angeles Department stats (Kim & Mengistu, 1994, P.75). Black female officers in the same decade increased 2% from .3%. These findings support the underrepresentation of minority female officers because in the same statistics white female officers increase over 6% by 1990. As of recent years, it is public knowledge that police departments want to hire more minority group to aid in better policing. This have caused not only a surge in hiring tactics but lowering of standards.
One of the main standards that have been lowered that affect women officers is the physical ability examination. According to the Department of Justice, during 2005 to 2011, the passing rate for females was 80% lesser than their male coequals for the physical exam. The benefits of lowering the standards for women recruits is having more women pass the police academy. Having a high representation of women in policing will encourage more women to apply. Another benefit is that women are put in the position to be more strategic in certain situations, when they are physically incapable. On the other hand, when physical examinations standards are lowered women that are not physically up to par progress. This is a problem because it heightens the risk of a health or physical issue occurring on the job. Standards can be correlated with quality, and the comprising of one could have a negative effect on the other. Also, the lowering of standards for women put a target on them from some of their male coequals. This could put women in a position to try to prove themselves, especially in risky situations. With the increase of females in the police force, researchers have analyzed differences between women and their peers.
Female officers from research (Archbold & Schulz, 2012) are more active in reactive patrolling. This means that female officers mostly engage in responding to emergency calls from the dispatchers. From this study, it was also determined that consequently female officers made less arrest and wrote fewer citations. Although the decision making of female officers was shown to be based on the current circumstances of the officer, sometimes that decision is affected by their superior. When under the observation of their supervisors, female officers are often more likely to carry out an arrest. On the other hand, they are less likely to conduct an arrest in front of their coequals. When it comes to the force, female officers use less physical force than their peers but are more likely to use non-deadly chemical force (Archbold & Schulz, 2012). This displays that women, for example, would use a pepper spray than combat to restrain an individual. By using chemical force, they ensure their protection because they are able to maintain distance and could still be effective.
There have been many women throughout history that have progressed in policing to great heights. Juanita Holmes was one of only three African American women to be advanced to the position of assistant chief of her borough. She was also the first African American commanding officer of the borough Queens North. She has been a member of the New York Police Department for 30 years. Chief Holmes is a supporter of the controversial Stop and Frisk policy and she considers it a useful means when implemented correctly (Meminger, 2017). In addition, she is a supporter of immigrants getting the assistance they need from the police, regardless of their immigration status. This is great point a view to have as a leader because researchers have analyzed that immigrants prefer not to report crimes because of their immigration status (Shusta et al., 2015). She is not alone, as she has many sister is the police force as well as a brother. She has recently retired but not without stating that she wants more women to accomplish high rankings in the force (Meminger, 2017).
Another woman that have left her mark in law enforcement is Cathy Lanier. She was the first woman to be appointed to Chief of the Metropolitan Police of the District of Columbia. Even though she was involved in a sexual harassment lawsuit early in her career, she didn’t give up and prevailed in the field. She stated in an interview that she pays attention to every attack that occurs everywhere (Thompson & Sciallo, 2017). The point that she doesn’t have tunnel vision when it comes to attacks helps her to learn from past events from other countries. She helped with the investigation of the D.C. Sniper. She is officially recognized by leaders of her city for her guidance in helping violent crimes decrease 23% under her supervisor (Thompson & Sciallo, 2017). She has shown herself to be a great model for other women in the police force.
In conclusion, even though women were not at the beginning of law enforcement they have become essential to law enforcement. Although their representation is low compared to their peers, they are able to succeed to high ranking position and make a difference. With federal law enactments, women are also able to progress through the academy without fear not meeting certain standards. I believe that women will continue thriving in law enforcement and persist in breaking down the stereotypes of the police force being a predominantly male occupation.