Examining the Effect of Female City Council Representation on Police Department Composition and Priorities

• In Event: Police Organization: Gender, Discrimination and Organizational Outcomes

Abstract

This study proposes to examine the relationship between the gender composition of city councils and local police agencies, focusing on how women’s representation in municipal governance influences the gender composition within law enforcement. We also examine effects on agency missions and policing efforts. Drawing from literature in criminal justice, as well as political science and public administration, we argue that political composition may influence agency priorities and culture. Prior research indicates that increased female representation in police departments can positively affect perceptions of agency legitimacy and effectiveness. We propose using data from the 2020 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) survey and data detailing the gender composition of city councils across U.S. municipalities from the American Local Government Elections database supplemented with original data collection. The analysis will control for variables including partisan composition, city demographics, and institutional factors to isolate the impact of female representation in municipal governance on law enforcement agencies. The findings aim to contribute to the understanding of how gender composition in political leadership translates into organizational gender composition and policy development within policing, offering insights for political influences on policing administration.

Authors

• Julia Marin Hellwege, University of South Dakota

• Thomas Mrozla, University of South Dakota