Week 7 Individual Work
Criminal Justice-1
Week 7: Individual Work
As the political landscape and social conditions of American society have changed, so have the personnel policies and practices of local law enforcement and the racial and gender makeup. American law enforcement remains a male dominated field, but it is recognized that more women are wanted and needed. Statistically, a woman is more likely to be employed as a CEO then a police officer. In 1845, the first women to be hired by the New York City Police Department were called “matrons.” In 1985, Penny Harrington of the Portland Oregon Police Department became the first female Chief of Police. In 2004 women accounted for only 12.7 percent of all sworn law enforcement positions in large agencies and the numbers are declining. The percentage of sworn female officers in smaller agencies is even lower. There are many possible reasons for the decline in the number of women in law enforcement. Research shows that woman can be just as effective as men; uneven hiring practices; selection processes and recruitment policies keep the number of woman artificially low. Often women are screened out early as a result of certain entry level tests that favor upper body strength or previous life experiences. Most women never even consider a career in law enforcement to begin with, due to their misunderstanding of the nature of the job and the aggressive and authoritarian images portrayed in the media. Once hired women still face discrimination, sexual harassment or even peer intimidation and they often lack the necessary role models or mentors to help them move up the ranks. The under-representation of women at all levels in the modern police agency negatively impacts the culture and operational efficiency of law enforcement agencies throughout the country. Rookies, because they are the new recruits and are the less experienced offices they tend to be given the grunt jobs until they have proven themselves at least. They must prove
Week 7: Individual Work
As the political landscape and social conditions of American society have changed, so have the personnel policies and practices of local law enforcement and the racial and gender makeup. American law enforcement remains a male dominated field, but it is recognized that more women are wanted and needed. Statistically, a woman is more likely to be employed as a CEO then a police officer. In 1845, the first women to be hired by the New York City Police Department were called “matrons.” In 1985, Penny Harrington of the Portland Oregon Police Department became the first female Chief of Police. In 2004 women accounted for only 12.7 percent of all sworn law enforcement positions in large agencies and the numbers are declining. The percentage of sworn female officers in smaller agencies is even lower. There are many possible reasons for the decline in the number of women in law enforcement. Research shows that woman can be just as effective as men; uneven hiring practices; selection processes and recruitment policies keep the number of woman artificially low. Often women are screened out early as a result of certain entry level tests that favor upper body strength or previous life experiences. Most women never even consider a career in law enforcement to begin with, due to their misunderstanding of the nature of the job and the aggressive and authoritarian images portrayed in the media. Once hired women still face discrimination, sexual harassment or even peer intimidation and they often lack the necessary role models or mentors to help them move up the ranks. The under-representation of women at all levels in the modern police agency negatively impacts the culture and operational efficiency of law enforcement agencies throughout the country. Rookies, because they are the new recruits and are the less experienced offices they tend to be given the grunt jobs until they have proven themselves at least. They must prove