NCJ Number
130324
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 58 Issue: 6 Dated: (June 1991) Pages: 15,16
Date Published
1991
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article presents the history, entrance requirements, performance record, and assault record for women in the Danish Police Service.
Abstract
Since the 1920's Danish law has mandated equal opportunities for women and men in public service; however, the police force was granted an exemption from such regulations due to the common belief that policing was too strenuous for women. In the late 1960's and early 1970's, the pressure of the women's rights movement led to a demonstration project that involved the appointing of 18 female recruits in 1977. The final decision to open the police service to women was based on the assessment that these 18 women performed sufficiently well in training on duty to be effective officers. Entry requirements for women and men are different, based on the average physical stature and capabilities of men and women. The majority of female officers are concentrated within the metropolitan Copenhagen area, which is where they received their training. Most are married to men who work in the Copenhagen area. The goal is to have women officers distributed throughout all force stations. Women officers are less likely than male officers to become involved in misconduct. Male officers at police posts that have women report that the working environment has improved, and they favor adding more women officers. Statistics do not show that women officers are assaulted more often than male officers.