Why Did You Become a Police Officer? Entry-Related Motives and Concerns of Women and Men in Policing

Abstract

As police agencies in the United States suffer declining applications and struggle to recruit women, the National Institute of Justice has identified workforce development as a priority research area. To recruit more effectively, we must understand what attracts people to policing and what deters them. We surveyed officers in two Midwestern police departments ( n = 832) about entry motivations and concerns and examined gender differences. Serve/protect motivations were most important for men and women, though women rated the category significantly higher. Women and non-White officers rated legacy motives higher than did males and White officers. Women reported more concerns overall and scored higher on job demands and acceptance concerns; officers of color also reported more acceptance concerns than White officers. The largest gender differences were associated with gender-related obstacles and stereotypes (e.g., discrimination; being taken seriously; physical demands), indicating recruitment reform necessarily includes improving systemic issues.

Empowering Young People to become Researchers: What Does It Take to become a Police Officer?

“…A glance through the various references suggest that researchers are aware of the need to understand careers from the mind of students [16,17], but often approach the issue from the 'top down. ' That is, the researcher is the adult, asking the younger person about 'why did you want to become a police officer?'…”

Promoting the police: A thematic analysis of the New Zealand Police recruitment campaigns and the construction of officers’ identities

“…However, the suggestion from this research is campaigns that highlight diversity can work in tandem alongside affirmative action campaigns (Ward et al, 2020) to encourage women, ethnic minorities, and LGBTQ + to consider policing roles regardless of geographical location. Such campaigns can assist in breaking down stigmas and challenging stereotypes that have previously shut groups out of the predominantly white, male workplace (Clinkinbeard et al, 2021; Miles-Johnson, 2020). Such messaging and its potential to increase representation may mean that greater effort is placed on ensuring those policing the citizenry also reflect the makeup of society.…”

“…Such an objective has seen approaches to recruiting women and people of colour, in particular, needing to be changed to move from the traditional images of police officers, to messages that suggest becoming a police officer will permit opportunities to alter the approaches of police for future generations (Clinkinbeard et al, 2020). Furthermore, Clinkinbeard et al, (2021) believe that painting an overwhelmingly positive picture of police work does a disservice to its target publics who already have a sceptical and negative understanding of the police culture.…”

Police Criminality: Nature and Extent of Crimes Committed by Female Police Officers

“…It has been noted that both men and women report joining the police force in service of the same goals such as to prevent criminals from harming community members, to help others, and to fight crime (Clinkinbeard et al., 2021). Indeed, these are noble aspirations for would-be officers to possess, which is why it is important to explore police crime, consider policy implications, and examine both individual characteristics and departmental policies that may potentially influence officer wrongdoing.…”