NCJ Number
17593
Date Published
1974
Length
63 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF A SURVEY RESPONSES RECEIVED FROM APPROXIMATELY 400 LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, WHICH OUTLINE THE EXTENT OF AND DIFFICULTIES IN IMPLEMENTING OR MAINTAINING A FORCE OF FEMALE OFFICERS.
Abstract
ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF THIS SURVEY WAS TO IDENTIFY THE SECTIONS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE EMPLOYING SWORN FEMALE POLICE OFFICERS, AND TO INDICATE THE ASSIGNMENTS THEY ARE EXPECTED TO PERFORM AND DO PERFORM. THE DATA OBTAINED FROM THE QUESTIONNAIRE FOCUS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF FEMALE OFFICERS IN ALL FIELDS OF POLICE WORK, INCLUDING THE AREAS TO WHICH WOMEN WERE TRADITIONALLY ASSIGNED AND AREAS FROM WHICH THEY WERE FORMERLY BARRED. INFORMATION IS REPORTED ON HEIGHT AND AGILITY TEST REQUIREMENTS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES DEPLOYING FEMALE OFFICERS ON PATROL, ASSIGNMENTS OF FEMALE OFFICERS BY REGION, AND HIGHEST COMMISSIONED FEMALE OFFICERS BY AGENCY. IT WAS FOUND THAT MOST AGENCIES RETAIN SOME FORM OF HEIGHT STIPULATION, THAT MONTHLY STARTING SALARIES ARE BASICALLY THE SAME FOR MALE AND FEMALE OFFICERS, THAT FEMALE OFFICERS PERFORM AS EFFECTIVELY AS MALE OFFICERS, AND THAT THE MAJOR DIFFICULTY ENCOUNTERED IN USING FEMALE OFFICERS ON PATROL WAS THAT MALE OFFICERS WITH FEMALE PARTNERS TEND TO OVERPROTECT THE FEMALE OFFICER. ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT ARE A SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE, A SURVEY RESPONSE CHART, A LEGAL REVIEW OF WOMEN IN POLICING, AND RECOMMENDED REFERENCES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)