Why are So Many Campus Police Officers Female
My question involves police conduct in the State of: Any
Why are university police departments staffed with so many female officers compared to normal public agencies? Are these women looking for safer job conditions, do they have difficulty getting hired at public agencies due to lingering gender discrimination in the profession, or are they generally just not as qualified as their male counterparts?
Re: Why Are University Police Departments Staffed by Primarily Female Leo
I question your initial premise. I work for a major university and there are far more men on the university police force than there are women. In fact, I think in the seven years I've worked for the university I've encountered one female officer.
For that matter, why do you think that anyone of either gender employed by a university police department is automatically less qualified?
Re: Why Are University Police Departments Staffed by Primarily Female Leo
I question it as well. I have been on two seperate major university campuses this year and all (around 5 on each) of the college cops I saw were male not a female in the bunch which thinking about it surprises me.
Re: Why Are University Police Departments Staffed by Primarily Female Leo
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zags4champs
My question involves police conduct in the State of: Any
Why are university police departments staffed with so many female officers compared to normal public agencies? Are these women looking for safer job conditions, do they have difficulty getting hired at public agencies due to lingering gender discrimination in the profession, or are they generally just not as qualified as their male counterparts?
Where do you get this impression?? I am not aware of ANY university agency that has a majority of female officers - not even close. Heck, my former municipal PD had the most female officers in the state at the time with more than 30% female officers.
I also currently work for a major university and our department has a little less than 20% female officers.
Re: Why Are University Police Departments Staffed by Primarily Female Leo
I agree with CDW. My observation is that the campus departments pretty much reflect the other departments in the vicinity, which alas in almost all cases is fairly made dominated.
Re: Why Are University Police Departments Staffed by Primarily Female Leo
Agencies can only hire from among the qualified applicants that apply. This is why most agencies do not reflect the demographic of their community. Too few applicants that meet qualifications, too little representation.
Re: Why Are University Police Departments Staffed by Primarily Female Leo
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zags4champs
My question involves police conduct in the State of: Any
Why are university police departments staffed with so many female officers compared to normal public agencies? Are these women looking for safer job conditions, do they have difficulty getting hired at public agencies due to lingering gender discrimination in the profession, or are they generally just not as qualified as their male counterparts?
I don't know how many university police departments you have actually surveyed to determine what percentage of their force is female versus a city police force but my guess is that you haven’t surveyed any at all and that your question is based only on encountering a few female university cops from, at best, a couple of universities. I’ve attended a number of colleges and universities over the years and in none of those departments were there noticeably more women officers than men. If there is a difference at a some universities, the most likely reason is that they take nondiscrimination more seriously than do at least some city police departments. There are unfortunately still some city police departments that can't seem to get away from a notable preference for hiring white males.
Re: Why Are University Police Departments Staffed by Primarily Female Leo
Discrimination is probably the least likely culprit these days. At least outside those agencies that still live in the dark ages (not any college I know of). Agencies can only hire among the pool that applies. Too few women, minorities, etc., and there's nothing that can be done about it absent lowering standards (a recommendation alluded to in President Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing). A higher ratio of female to male officers is not necessarily representative of adhering to nondiscriminatory practices. More likely, it is a byproduct of the candidate pool.
Re: Why Are University Police Departments Staffed by Primarily Female Leo
Agree with Carl. My (very high-profile) university employer picks up their fair share of lawsuits and many of them make the newspapers just because of who we are, but one thing we've not been accused of is gender discrimination in the police department.
Re: Why Are University Police Departments Staffed by Primarily Female Leo
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cdwjava
Discrimination is probably the least likely culprit these days. At least outside those agencies that still live in the dark ages (not any college I know of). Agencies can only hire among the pool that applies. Too few women, minorities, etc., and there's nothing that can be done about it absent lowering standards (a recommendation alluded to in President Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing). A higher ratio of female to male officers is not necessarily representative of adhering to nondiscriminatory practices. More likely, it is a byproduct of the candidate pool.
That is probably more true in CA where you are than in some other places.
Particularly in the deep south there are still a number of police departments whose racial make-up really can't be explained well other than by illegal discrimination. I have no doubt that there are also still a number of departments that tilt their hiring preferences towards men over women, too. None will ever say it expressly of course, and it can be hard to prove. But whatever the reasons the lack of diversity in a lot of law enforcement agencies is a problem. Among other things it adds to the perception, justified or not, that the police discriminate against minorities, which in turn helps fan the flames of racial division in this country. The last 3 years has shown us plenty of evidence of that flame blowing hotter and hotter.
Re: Why Are University Police Departments Staffed by Primarily Female Leo
Re: Why Are University Police Departments Staffed by Primarily Female Leo
Tax has a point about regional areas too; I'm in Massachusetts.
Re: Why Are University Police Departments Staffed by Primarily Female Leo
I live and work in politically correct CA where they do all things towards an eye towards perception and even we only have 13% female officers in CA and north of 25% minority officers. Having been part of a POST commission on hiring and retention, we here in CA do a LOT of targeted recruiting and even then, we come nowhere near the community demographics. Nationwide, demographics are why some of the recommendations from President Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing included eliminating or severely downgrading elements of the background investigation and hiring practices. To achieve parity we will have to ask ourselves if demographic balance is more important than quality?
I am sure there are still agencies and attitudes that exist from ages gone past. But, they are outside the mainstream. When a liberal state with progressive hiring standards like CA cannot reach parity, it's not some bigot or misogynist in the Chief's office making that call.
Re: Why Are University Police Departments Staffed by Primarily Female Leo
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cbg
I question your initial premise. I work for a major university and there are far more men on the university police force than there are women. In fact, I think in the seven years I've worked for the university I've encountered one female officer.
For that matter, why do you think that anyone of either gender employed by a university police department is automatically less qualified?
^Agreed. Not only is your initial line of thinking flawed (I too have never experienced a University with more female officers), but the fact that you jump so quickly to asking "are they generally just not as qualified as their male counterparts?" leads me to believe you're just looking to a reaffirm the bias you've developed based on your own very limited experience.
Re: Why Are University Police Departments Staffed by Primarily Female Leo
I had the aquaintance of a female county police detective. In her office was a plaque that read "I have PMS and a gun...Any questions?"