www . AmericanSecurityToday . com 2021 CHAMPIONS - Edition 60
Chart of positions held by women in public safety by profession ( Courtesy of Mark43 )
ical service ( EMS ), 13 percent of sworn law enforcement , and eight percent of fire rescue . 10
The number of leadership po- sitions held by women across these professions hovers in the low single digits .
This underrepresentation of women , particularly in policing , stifles public safety ’ s potential .
Research shows female officers use excessive force less often , are named in fewer complaints and lawsuits , are perceived by
communities as more compassionate , make fewer discre- tionary arrests , and see better outcomes for crime victims , es- pecially in sexual assault cases .
30 × 30 , a national initiative to advance women in polic- ing , has a primary goal : “ to in- crease the representation of women in police recruit class- es to 30 percent by 2030 and ensure police policies and cul- ture intentionally support the success of qualified women officers throughout their ca- reers .”
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