Organisational Bias: How Occupational Practices Affect Women Police Officers.

• In Event: Women in Policing II

Abstract

Recruitment, deployment, promotion, and retention are complex staffing components, which directly impact police officers and effect organisational practices in policing. There is, however, little Australian research which examines (collectively) how each of these shapes the workplace perception of women in policing. A 46-item self-report online survey was provided in its entirety to women police officers working in one Australian police organisation to understand how recruitment, deployment, promotion, and retention affect women police officers in the workplace, and how this impacts organisational staffing and police practice. In total 811 women police officers participated in the survey with participants ranging in rank from constable to superintendent. Whilst this study is not directly comparing perceptions of staffing components across genders, it is argued that until the police organisation places the gender of women police officers in a secondary position, specifically in terms of focusing on ‘police officers’ workplace capabilities collectively, rather than the workplace capability of officers identified by gender, then it is unlikely that the perception of policing as an equitable profession within Australian culture will change. It is also likely that police work will continue to be seen as ‘men’s work’ and organisational bias directed towards women police officers will not improve.

Author

• Toby Miles-Johnson, Western Sydney University