Women in Law Enforcement

Women have played a role in law enforcement for a long time . Their role , however , has been underestimated and understated because of the male dominance of the law enforcement field . A lot of time and effort has been spent in breaking down walls and quieting stereotypes about the role and place of women in law enforcement . Much progress has been made and more women have become employed in different capacities in the law enforcement field as times have changed , but it 's still not an uneven playing field when it comes to the

balance of men and women in law enforcement . It remains one of the career fields where women have the most difficulty in attaining equality among their male counterparts

Recruiting and hiring practices play a great role in understanding the aspect of women trying to break into a male-dominated occupational field . A lot of women may be eliminated from contention for certain law enforcement jobs quite early on in the hiring process , for a number of reasons . There are entry exams that sometimes prove to be hurdles because of their possible reliance on physical abilities and previous law enforcement experience . The physical aspect of some law enforcement jobs may prove to be too daunting . For example , in police academy training , the majority of the program involves emphasizing the need and usage of physical abilities , and some female recruits may be weeded out not only because of the harshness of the training , but also because of the harshness of some of the trainers

Also , women don 't always pursue certain opportunities as aggressively as they possibly should , because they may feel that they don 't have a chance , because of the male dominance in the field , and stereotypes long-associated with different aspects of law enforcement . Sometimes prospective employers may balk on or eliminate female candidates despite otherwise solid qualifications , because they may not seem to be suited for a certain job , or if they do hire them , might place them into positions that are more 'female-friendly ' like secretarial or clerical positions . However , it 's been proven , in law enforcement and in many other fields of employment and through society , that women are just as competent as men are , and can do the duties required of them without a problem . The physical side of law enforcement , from an impartial standpoint , may understandably present issues , but there are definitely ways to work around that

However , it remains that one of the most glaring issues in hiring practices and mindsets between male and female law enforcement officers is evident in situations that call for the use of some form of excessive physical force . For example , in a situation involving a male suspect who is comparatively bigger than the female officer who is on the scene the officer quite likely may be at a great disadvantage in physical strength if it 's one-on-one situation . This is by no means an indictment on the physical abilities of women , but male police officers are typically...