Women Developing Strategies to Increase the Number of Women in the Nation s Police Forces, and Increase Police Response to Domestic Violence. The Feminist Majority Foundation s National Center for Women and Policing is piloting the nation s first-ever leadership conference for women in law enforcement. Women officers at the rank of lieutenant and higher from around the nation are meeting with the twin goals of ending discrimination against women in policing and increasing police response to domestic violence. The goals will be merged with new strategies, developed at the conference, to increase women s leadership and power in the nation s law enforcement structures.
Women remain dramatically under-represented in law enforcement.
This innovative leadership development conference is bringing together over 250 of the nation s top women law enforcement officials to use their vision and influence to increase the numbers of women in policing at all ranks, and to work through community partnerships to reduce violence against women in their communities, said Chief Penny Harrington, Director of the National Center for Women and Policing. The National Center for Women and Policing , a project of the Feminist Majority Foundation, is the only nationwide resource for law enforcement agencies, community leaders, and public officials seeking to increase the numbers of women police in their communities and raise community awareness about the benefits women bring to policing. The National Center for Women and Policing provides technical assistance and training to police agencies on issues related to women in policing. Police officers at the rank of Chief, Sheriff, Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief, Commander, Major, Captain, Lieutenant as well as management level civilians in law enforcement and criminal justice researchers are attending the Conference which began on November 12 and continues through November 14. In addition to several Canadian police officers, U.S. officials from local, state, and federal agencies are represented amongst the 265 participants from 74 cities in 42 states.