BROKEN ARROW, Ok — The Broken Arrow Police Department is joining a growing national effort to increase the number of women in policing, as part of addressing significant gender disparities in law enforcement.
Women currently make up just 13% of sworn officers in the United States and only 3% of police leadership nationwide. The Broken Arrow department is actively working to improve both representation and the day-to-day experience for women officers.
WATCH: Broken Arrow Police joins national effort to recruit more women officers
The department recently signed the 30X30 Pledge — a set of low- and no-cost steps agencies can take to remove bias, improve workplace culture, and recruit and retain more women. The goal is to get women to 30% of recruit classes by 2030.
Currently, the Broken Arrow Police Department has 167 officers and 18 of them are female, with two cadets currently in their academy.
Sgt. Jordan Sawyer of the Broken Arrow Police Department said research shows communities find women officers more trustworthy and compassionate than male officers.
‘It’s researched-backed that the community kind of finds them more just trustworthy and compassionate than the male officers so a lot of times, female officers are able to build a lot great rapport, especially with victims where it’s a really sensitive nature," said Sawyer.
Officer Jessica Cotton says that when more women serve, departments tend to use less force, have fewer complaints, and get better outcomes for victims — especially in cases like sexual assault.
"There have been studies that show the difference between how men and women police. Women have been shown to use less use of force. We've been shown to be named in less civilian complaints and civil lawsuits and tend to do a little bit better in sensitive situations like sexual assault victims. We do have a good relationship with the public," Cotton said.
As a recruiting officer, Cotton is working to make Broken Arrow a more inclusive department.
"Women have tended to be underrepresented in this line of work in a male-dominated field, so we're just trying to increase our representation of women," Cotton said.
The pledge asks agencies to review hiring, retention and promotion practices, remove biased policies, and create a culture where women's needs are considered — from recruiting materials to workplace flexibility and mentorship.
Cotton hopes more women on the force can boost trust and improve outcomes.
For more information on women in law enforcement, the department will host a Women in Policing event on November 8th from 9am to 1pm at the Broken Arrow Training Center.
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