Amoroso was one of the first women to enter the department when she started in 1976. She is now the highest ranking woman in the department and is the senior deputy chief, outranked only by the two assistant chiefs and the chief of police. Because of her position, she says she has been able to make women police officers more acceptable in the department, although she says she would prefer to work more closely with the community. She says the influence she has is often just being a good example of a woman handling her authority respectably. But she also says it's hard to find women in the upper ranks, not because they aren't capable of increased responsibility, but because they are less likely to want it.
Women still have to go home and do mom-work.
It's still not an equal relationship. That's why you don't see as many women going for promotions. When a man does it, it is much more acceptable. She says she has seen a lot of positive changes in the department since she started 25 years ago. Women officers say the benefits that San Jose provides can be very attractive to women.