Joining the “Boy’s” Club: Gendered Experience of Women Police Officers in a Midwestern Law Enforcement Department

• In Event: Experiences of Women Police Officers: Boys’ Club, Invisible Barriers, and Gendered Communication

Abstract

Within law enforcement agencies there has historically been a resistance to women police officers. Women police officers are often forced to show how tough or masculine they are to survive. This study looks at the difference in the experiences of female and male police officers throughout their law enforcement careers including experiences in the academy and in the field. The data for this study was collected through interviews with women police officers in a Midwestern police department. Using women in the police force from the Midwest provides a perspective different from some traditional studies that focused on coastal police departments. The analysis will illustrate similarities and differences between the experiences of women and men in law enforcement. The findings will provide insight and a better understanding of gendered experiences.

Authors

• Hayley Marie Jackey, Indiana University Southeast

• Jennifer Marie Ortiz, Indiana University Southeast