NCJ Number
188157
Date Published
June 2001
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This bulletin provides an overview of the information and resources available in a self-assessment guide developed by the National Center for Women and Policing under a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to assist police agencies seeking to recruit and retain more women in sworn law enforcement positions.
Abstract
The publication’s title is Recruiting and Retaining Women: A Self-Assessment Guide for Law Enforcement. The guide aims to help Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies examine their policies and procedures to identify and remove obstacles to hiring and retaining sworn and civilian women employees at all levels within the organization. It also provides a list of resources for agencies to use when they plan or implement changes to their current policies and procedures. The guide promotes increasing the number of women at all ranks of law enforcement as a strategy to strengthen community policing, reduce police use of force, enhance police response to domestic assault, and provide balance to the workforce. Each chapter of the guide contains a statement of the problem; an analysis of legal issues; and a discussion of possible solutions, model policies, and practices. Each chapter also provides references, resources, and names of persons or agencies with pertinent expertise and innovative programs and a checklist of the steps involved at each stage of the self-assessment process. Individual sections cover the development of a job description, recruitment of quality candidates, removal of obstacles in the selection process, designing quality recruit academies and field training programs, mentoring to increase retention, valuing civilian employees, implementing family-friendly policies, monitoring performance evaluations, assignments and promotions, preventing discrimination and sexual harassment, ensuring impartial investigation and discipline systems, and developing effective awards and recognition programs. Photographs, notes, and list of organizations that are sources of further information