In-depth interviews of 16 women police officers from the U.S. were analyzed to identify barriers to recruiting and retaining female police candidates. The women shared that while progress has been made in recruiting and supporting women in policing, significant barriers remain, and continued efforts are essential to build a more inclusive and representative force. Participants identified six strategic areas agencies can focus on to recruit and retain women: (1) revise recruitment messaging, (2) support physical fitness preparation, (3) create meaningful mentorship opportunities, (4) promote women into leadership, (5) address inequities and gender bias, and (6) implement family-friendly policies.
DeWitt et al. (Tue,) studied this question.