Job Flexibility, Part-Time Options Seen as Ways to Bring More Women into Policing
Recruiting more women into police departments nationwide is seen as one way to address the recruiting crisis in law enforcement.
Now a new report from the 30x30 Initiative, an organization whose mission is to increase the number of women in police departments (specifically 30 percent of recruiting classes by the year 2030), says flexible work options, including part-time and job-sharing, may be the key.
According to “Exploring Flexible Work Opportunities in Policing: A Strategy for Diversity and Staffing Solutions" women make up just 13 percent of local police officers nationwide, ten percent of frontline supervisors, and only three percent of local police leadership. The numbers are even lower at the state level. And with 18,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide, and about 750,000 full-time sworn officers, the opportunities are there, especially with officers leaving for retirement, jobs in the private sector, or for personal reasons.
Writing on LinkedIn, authors Tanya Meisenholder and Luke Bonkiewicz say that flexible work arrangements can “improve staffing levels, mitigate talent shortages, and enhance officer safety and wellness, while also increasing demographic and life experience diversity in police forces.”
Another benefit: part-time and job-sharing opportunities offer significant benefits both for the employee and police departments, including cost savings and increased trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Part-time officers can also be used to plug gaps when full-time officers are not available, reducing the need for overtime, as can volunteer officers in some instances.
“These options can attract more applicants, retain skilled retirees, and ensure a workforce that reflects community diversity,” the authors wrote.
The authors say that it’s time to use the law enforcement recruiting crisis as an “opportunity for growth and innovation.”
The report was published in the March issue of Police Chief Magazine.