Gender differences

Research questions based upon the differences in gender amongst police officers.

- Are men or women considered more likely to use excessive force when on duty?

Men are considered to use excessive force more due to their more aggressive nature. Women on the other hand have been proven to rely more on negotiation rather than physical confrontation.

-Do police stations consider gender differences for recruitment?

No it is against the law, under the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, Article VII. This law protects all from any kind of discrimination in the workplace, including gender. Prior to the 1970s, women police officers were scarce in numbers and were primarily involved in assignments of a social welfare nature, matron duties, juvenile and family problems, sexual assault investigators, and clerical assignments. As time progressed, more women joined the force, but not enough. As of right now women account for roughly 46% of the American workforce over the age of 16. In comparison women account for 12.8% of the working police force population. 18% of the LAPD is female, which mirrors exactly the percentage of women who apply to become police officers.

- Do female police officers have to fit into the masculine occupational subculture in order to be socially acceptable in the work place as a cop?

No, not necessarily, the masculine brute force cop is just a common stereotype given to police officers. There are many different types of police styles, ranging from the social worker type cop in blue, to the fearless crime fighter. Respect is earned through performance.

- Could statistics in civilian police resistance be altered if more women were in the police force?

Maybe. Maybe men who would violently resist arrest from a male officer would not violently strike a police officer if they were a female due to cultural upbringing or moral belief. Or maybe an offender, male or female, would see a female police officer as genetically weaker than a typical male police officer and use it to their advantage by resisting violently. Now that's some food for thought eh?

- Which gender is more susceptible to the largest problem in policing, corruption?

Niether. We're all human and face the same temptations. There is however a roughly 74% majority of men in the police force. The police force is still a male dominated field, and bands of corruption still exist.

SOURCES

Poteyeva, M & Sun, I. (3 September, 2009). Gender differences in police officers' attitudes: Assessing current empirical evidence. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V75-4X4XGGH-D&_user=516213&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1036591330&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000023038&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=516213&md5=623501405b8f33f831056733fa97e09f