By james art The Durham Police Department is taking steps to attract more women to the police force.
They are a member of the 30×30 initiative, a national effort that aims to increase the number of women employed to 30% by 2030. Currently, women make up only 12% of the national police force. Durham is above this, with women making up 17% of the police force. Three of these officers are in senior positions, including the Chief of Police.
Lt. Bree Butler said the community has benefited from women in leadership because they can add a different perspective than their male counterparts.
“[The female perspective] it has an impact on how policies are written,” Butler said. “It affects the way we respond to calls. This affects the way we investigate crimes. It has an impact on how we engage with the community because it’s just a different perspective.”
Last month, Durham Police hosted the Women LEED (Law Enforcement Exploration Day) event, which allowed future female police officers to explore policing as a career. Attendees got to ask questions of current officers and get a first-hand look at job duties through travel, firearms safety and fitness sessions.
Courtesy of the Durham Police Department
/
Submitted image
The LEED event aimed to showcase policing as an accessible career choice for future officers. According to Butler, many women left with more confidence in their readiness for the job.
“We’ve even gone beyond recruiting and hiring conversations to talking about, well, once you’re hired, what do I need to do to be successful to get into that unit,” Butler said. “And it’s a very empowering thing because now you’re beyond, can I even be hired. Starting to design, how to prepare for the specialized unit? That’s what we’re trying to build is the confidence that you can do this, and there’s a home here for you.”
The event was also advertised for teenagers as young as 16. For young people starting to consider their futures, Butler said knowing how to enter the field makes all the difference.
“So it gave them an opportunity to think, well, what can I do now?” she said. “Do I need a degree? And if I go to get a degree, what degree should I get? You know, and kind of having those options and knowing what’s available to you. So, for the young people who are now going to college, that seed has been planted.”
Butler also emphasized the importance of students’ current decisions. Many criminal charges, such as drug use or shoplifting, could disqualify them from police work later.
The 30×30 initiative is not only about hiring more female police officers, but also about expanding opportunities for those already sworn in. Durham policewomen have had the chance to attend national conferences such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s Women’s Leadership Institute and the International Association of Women Police Officers.
“Those experiences come back with the officer,” Butler says. “It makes them better employees. It makes them a better leader, but they also bring that knowledge back to the agency, and so the agency ultimately grows in a positive way because we learn from others. We don’t just work in a silo. We learn from others and take that experience.”
DPD hopes to continue efforts to recruit women into the police service through future LEED-like events.