February 28, 2025 6 min read
Spotlight: Why Women Are Essential in Law Enforcement
Industry:
Solution:
Celebrated every March, Women’s History Month actually began as “Women’s History Week.” According to the National Women’s History Museum, it was first celebrated in Santa Rosa, California in 1978. In March 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued a Presidential Proclamation declaring the week of March 8, 1980, as National Women’s History Week.
“Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well,” President Carter wrote.
In years following, presidents would continue to proclaim a National Women’s History Week each March until Congress passed a law designating the whole month as Women’s History Month in 1987. Since then, each president has issued an annual proclamation continuing the tradition.
This March, Vector Solutions is proud to support every woman helping to make our communities a safer place. Women in law enforcement, firefighting, EMS, emergency telecommunications, and every other aspect of public safety work tirelessly to protect and serve, often overcoming unique challenges and breaking barriers in these historically male-dominated fields.
However, the history of women in law enforcement and other areas of public safety often goes back further than many would expect.
Celebrating Women’s History Month 2025
Vector Solutions is pleased to partner with Calibre Press to provide educational and networking opportunities for law enforcement officers of all ranks during Women’s History Month. This partnership demonstrates the shared mission to support and advance the law enforcement profession by delivering impactful training and technology.
2025 Women in Policing Training Series
The 2025 Women in Policing training series provides law enforcement agencies with a collection of online and in-person activities focused on discussing the unique experiences of women in law enforcement and fostering their professional growth.
Activities will include:
- Educational sessions
- Thought leadership discussions
- Networking opportunities
Free Webinar: Surviving and Thriving as a Female Officer
Join us for a free webinar presented by Calibre Press and sponsored by Vector Solutions on Wednesday, March 12th at 10a-12p CT. Calibre Instructors Cyndy Velasquez and Carole Widman will share personally lived, often hard-earned insights on how to excel at meeting the countless challenges of being a female officer. This webinar is not restricted to female officers and is open to officers of all ranks.
Attendees will learn:
- First-hand advice for surviving a “multiple identity” lifestyle: Turning your cop switch on and off without losing your mind.
- Strategies for maintaining (and even leveraging) your inherent feminine personality without compromising your tactical readiness and command presence on the street.
- Tips for staying physically healthy, mentally strong and emotionally balanced.
The Ongoing History of Women in Law Enforcement
As shared by the National Policing Institute, there are an estimated 96,000 female police officers in the United States. While that means only 12% of officers today are female, that is still a notable increase from the 1,000 women police officers that existed in 1974.
But what about before 1974? The history of women in law enforcement actually dates back as far as 1890. According to Community Policing Dispatch, an e-newsletter of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), Marie Owens was one of the first known appointed policewomen in Chicago. The first sworn female police officer was Lola Baldwin, who was hired in Portland, Oregon in 1908.
These early trailblazers paved the way for generations of women who have since taken on critical roles both in the field and shaping the future of policing. But still, only 1 in 10 police officers today are women. Why?
Despite efforts to correct gender disparities through recruitment initiatives, policy changes, and mentorship programs, women in law enforcement continue to face barriers and challenges their male colleagues do not. The 30×30 Initiative, an organization supporting and advancing women in policing, identifies the following as areas of concern:
- Balancing work with family responsibilities
- Health concerns such as pregnancy and other reproductive health issues
- Agencies that lack policies around maternity leave or caregiving needs
- Sexual harassment
- Gender-based discrimination
When faced with these challenges, on top of those already inherent to policing, women officers are at an increased risk for chronic stress, reduced job satisfaction, and mental health struggles, all of which could contribute to a higher turnover rate.
Why Support Women in Law Enforcement?
It’s a common belief that the relationship between police departments and the public is improved when the makeup of a police department reflects their community. However, if only 12% of a department are women, how can an agency ever hope to reach that goal?
In addition to accurately reflecting community demographics, research has also shown that women officers bring unique qualities to the job, including using less force in police-citizen encounters than their male counterparts. In a report released by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2019, “,” the DOJ explained that women officers receive fewer complaints, which could mitigate liability for agencies, and that while evidence is limited, women may improve interactions with diverse communities.
That 2019 report is what guides the work conducted by 30×30 in their goal to reach 30% of officers across the U.S. being women by 2030.
As shared by the organization, “The 30×30 Initiative is based on evidence indicating the importance of achieving at least 30% representation to empower a group to influence an organization’s culture. This 30% threshold is where change begins to happen.”
Over 300 agencies have joined with 30×30 and signed the 30×30 Pledge, which is a series of no- or low-cost actions agencies can take to, “improve the representation and experiences of women in sworn positions in all ranks.”
Immediate action items listed in the pledge include:
- Formally making hiring, retaining, and promoting qualified women a strategic priority
- Affirming zero tolerance for discriminatory practices or harassment
- Ensuring there is a designated space for nursing mothers who have returned to work after giving birth to express breast milk as needed, as well as allowing nursing mothers flexibility in their schedules to accommodate expressing breast milk
- Ensuring all equipment for women officers is appropriate and fit to the officer’s proportions
Agencies interested in signing the pledge can visit 30×30’s website by clicking here.
The Future of Women in Law Enforcement
Law enforcement as a profession has undergone rapid and dramatic change in the first half of the 2020s. The role of women officers has also evolved and while the progress that has been made so far is heartening, there is still much work to be done. 30×30 and organizations like the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE) continue to champion women in law enforcement while agencies around the country implement policies and programs to recruit, retain, and support their female officers.
These efforts are crucial in creating a law enforcement culture where women are not only welcomed but also empowered to succeed. By addressing barriers such as recruitment gaps, leadership disparities, and the unique challenges faced by women officers, agencies can foster an environment where female officers thrive.
To learn more about how Vector is supporting woman in law enforcement and other activities planned for Women’s History Month, click here.
Vector Solutions’ suite of industry-leading software solutions includes training management systems, online training courses, FTO and live skill evaluations, academy automation, equipment and inventory management, shift scheduling, and an early intervention and conduct management system.
