Female LEO's??

[ASOinFL]

Lots of good comments....some odd ones....and one tricky one (not gonna single anyone out...right LeeRoy?).

If the gal can cut the same standards as a guy, great. No special favors...great. I hold the guys to the same standards.

In some calls I thought the female officers did better.....mainly when it came to the ones I hate (which require more patience and empathy than I wish to give). Meet some hairbags and some animals that were more receptive to dealing with female officers whereas if a male officer came around, they went ballistic.

But, in a nutshell, if they can back me and do the job....love to have 'em onboard.

[LeeRoy]

quote:

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Originally posted by LeeRoy:
Most women have no business entering law enforcement.

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Ha Ha. Got some of your blood boiling with that one didn't I?

The first part should have read "Most men and women..." This job is not for most people.

Now seriously. There is plenty of room in all aspects of police work for women. We need to make sure we don't have to lower standards in order for women to enter certain aspects "SWAT, Bomb Squad, etc" and at the same time we need to make sure standards are there to measure ability to do the job, not to weed out certain people.

I have a personal problem with people who enter jobs not out of a passion for that job but instead because they want to prove women/men/or whatever special group, can do that job. For example don't join SWAT to be the first woman on the team. Join SWAT because you want to be the first in the door and stop the bad guy and save the victim. Join the bomb squad because you want to blow stuff up. Join the cops because you want to keep the peace, put bad guys in jail, and help people.

I happen to work with two female patrol officers, one is 4'11, the other is 5'. Neither is over 120lbs. Both are squared away patrol cops and street investigators. Both realize the limitations their size presents and are careful not to bite off more than they can chew. I have no problem working with them.

[LeeRoy]

Most women have no business entering law enforcement.

[Spiderman]

I live in a small town (don't know how much that really has to do with it) and I enjoy working with my female partner. She is very proactive and loves to work traffic, as do I. It tends to make the day go by faster. We were finally scheduled to work day-shift together and I was really looking forward to it. Then something happened. I started getting most of the follow-up investigations. And the Sgt. started assigning the initial report to me as well. That wouldn't have been too bad, except that he was sticking me with her paper as well! So what ended up happening was that I got to struggle just to keep my head above water whilst she went about showing massive productivity in the form of traffic cites.

Now we've reached our shift change rotation and she is moving back to graveyard where it's almost all proactive work and there is no follow-up to do. Meanwhile, I'm staying on days with all of my follow-up, one office out injured, SWAT training, and the fresh calls. At the same time, I am working on developing a PAL program here; an entirely new venture for me that can be frustrating at times.

This wasn't a problem with my partner. It is a problem with our supervisors. An environment that they have created.

not that I have any thoughts on the matter or anything.

[Trendz]

Hmm, I live in Bowie, MD.

Anyways, speaking from a male perspective. I would, nor do I have no problem working with a female LEO.

A lot of times they handle things better then males... because of their ability to rationalize and talk situations down.

Now, is it probably tougher to be a female LEO than man? In my opinion yes, because it is a male dominated profession.

Just my .02

[Metro174]

Like everybody else has already said. I've worked with males and females that are good cops and males and females that should NOT be wearing a badge, and a few that shouldn't even work at Burger King.

One of the females that was in my academy class is absolutely one of my favorites to partner with. She takes no sh** and can handle her own and then some and any chance I can I'd work with her.

[LEO-wanna-be]

quote:

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If you are getting your ideas about female LEO's from the Lifetime network, do yourself a favor and stop watching shows like "The Division." That show in no way shape or form accurately depicts law enforcement, or the female component within.

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Actually, the only LE tv shows I watch are Cops, Law & Order (SVU & CI), CSI, and otherwise I'll watch Nickelodeon

Thanks for your responses. From what I've seen in B-more City, Female LEO's are few on the street and many in Investigative areas.

quote:

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2. It completely and utterly INFURIATES me that this DOESN'T include being DENIED a supervisory job when a candidate with far more qualifications, experience, and leadership abilities, who happens to be a MAN was denied it so that the FEMALE could get it....for simply being a female.

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Yup, had similar experiences.

quote:

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It is 2003. Why are we talking about this topic? Females belong in law enforcement just as much as males.

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'Cuz I wanted some input from other people.

Thanks y'all!!

[MikeinMN]

I'm reminded of an exchange in one of Terry Pratchett's "Guards" books, wherein Constable Angua (a female, and, incidentally, a werewolf, though nobody else knows this) is talking with several other members of the watch; someone refers to her, if I recall correctly, as a policewoman. She corrects him, saying "On duty, we're all policemen - the Captain says I have no sex on duty".

Just thought I'd throw that in there.

In the few professional contacts I've had with LEO's, more than half have been female, and I've been rather more impressed with them than with their male counterparts, on the whole. One thing I've noticed is that, contrary to generalisations applicable to the rest of society, women LEO's like to listen, while male LEO's like to talk.

What does it really matter if a person is male or female if they do what's expected of them?

[retdetsgt]

In some depts., women and minorities are a little more than equal..

We've had a battle with the city for years over discrimination against WM's. Several years ago, they posted the Lt. test for only 24 hours and only sent notices to women and minority Sgts... The union complained and they promised never to do it again, but didn't remedy the damage already done.

For the last 15 years, they have been able to pick from the top 5 of any promotion list. Sgts are usually down the line, but on any lieutenant or captain's list, any woman or minority gets picked first. Several times a white male has died on a list where he was number 1 from the beginning.

Fortunately, any animosity has been directed at the city, not the women or minorities promoted. Says a lot for our rank and file.
Jim

[Cockney Corner]

Just to echo the above comments. My skippers (Sergeants) are women, my Guv'nor (Inspector) is a woman, the head of my division is a woman. It's just a question of time before half the Chiefs (in this country at least) are women, It certainly used to be an issue and there are still certain units that tend to be dominated by men (firearms, traffic, public order) and others by women (domestic violence/child protection) but I imagine that will change too over time. My partner is a cop and I understand she has had no more difficulties than me in working with different specialities with one exception which I won't mention (traffic). Having said that, I am a bloke, and it's entirely possible I may be a bit blase about these things. I should probably get my partner to post,

[ 05-11-2003, 10:29 AM: Message edited by: Cockney Corner ]

[Pigskin]

We have four female officers...one is in Detectives, one is in Traffic, & two are in Patrol. I've seen good ones & bad ones come through here just like the guys have. I've trained several & had a couple as partners. It's no big deal. Man or woman...you either do the job or you don't.

[drunkhunter]

I worked with great female officers and terrible female officers. I have also worked with great and terrible male officers. I could care less about the gender or whatever else of the people that I work with as long as they know what they are doing.

[Darkwulfe]

Women definitely belong in Law Enforcement, they are a valuable asset. I work with many female LEOs and have never felt any animosity or ill thoughts towards them. As long as they can perform the job to the same standards as their male counterparts I am all for it. But I don

[bruno6301]

Hmmm...Female LEO's....I must say my small comment: Went to college, graduated with BS IN Math, worked/volunteered at local department, hired on as a 911 dispatcher, went to the academy, 7th in class, became a police officer, took several shots to the chest (thank God for the vest, saved me, not partner), bomb squad, now with the Government (leo) on leave...Can take a 6'4", 300+ lb man to the ground and cuff him, can enter a building and sniff out almost anyone, and I'm cute too! (to my husband's advantage), and I can pick out a BS'r in no time flat....Have the respect of many men I have backed up, and I can hold my own...Women cops? Hell, I love them! Husband's former partner was a woman, and she was fantastic!

[shooter1201]

Best partner I ever worked with was female. I enjoyed NOT having to deal with the 'macho BS' all the time.

Currently, NEITHER my deaprtment, nor the Sheriff's department have any female officers.

AFAIK, we're the only departments anywhere around that haven't come into the 20th(yeah, I know what I just typed) century.