Diversifying the Police: Changing Police Culture through Leadership

• In Event: 600 - Section on Crime, Law and Deviance Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 02. Police Representation, Crime, and Communities

Abstract

The paramilitary police culture that enables violence against civilians and shields officers from repercussions is a prominent issue in public eye and erodes trust in law enforcement. We combine previous literature on the organizational demography of police forces, gendered pathways in policing, and the impacts of diversifying workforces using the theoretical framework of culture as infrastructural. Significant evidence suggests that community relations would be improved if the police organization were more inclusive of women and adopted policies that incentivized community policing and “feminized” skill sets. The police organization is currently less than 12% female, with women rarely promoted into leadership. We recommend that the police organization should strive for a composition of at least 35% women through affirmative action policies and mentoring programs. Promotions should be based on demonstrated commitment to community policing and vetted by a civilian review board that should also have the authority to initiate investigations and resolve complaints. These processes should increase the number of women in leadership, improving organizational outcomes with more inclusivity in decision-making, more innovation in how diverse skill sets are utilized, and less corruption.

Authors

• Hillary Picker, Webster University

• Maggie Nagle, Webster University