The Role of Women in Policing Today

Changing Times 

Policing has changed over the last couple of decades and so has the type of officer police agencies are looking for to fill their ranks. Gone are the days when the focus relied heavily on physical attributes, such as height, weight and brute strength. Over time, these attributes that previously were thought to have made a good police officer have shifted. Don’t get us wrong…the job still requires a great level of physical fitness; however, what’s more important is good ethical character, and excellent interpersonal, problem solving and conflict-resolution skills. This shift or change has been because of a new, proactive style of policing called Community Policing that is now used across North America. The Edmonton Police Service has been a leader in this area and we are proud that it is an integral part of what we do on a daily basis in our community.

Community Policing

Community Policing by definition is “a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies, which support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques, to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime.” Essentially, it is about establishing relationships in the community (business owners, residents, community league members, etc.) and collaborating with those partners in order to proactively police and problem solve to reduce and prevent crime.

Training and Patrol

When our recruits complete Academy Foundations Training, they hit the streets to carry out community policing duties in a patrol role partnered with a trained Police Training Officer (PTO). Part of this on-the-street training is to work on a problem-solving initiative in the area you are stationed. From day one, the EPS reinforces that problem-solving is an important part of the job. For fuller information on training, please take a look at our Training section or What to Expect the First Year.

Patrol is where officers refine their policing skills learned in class and gain the confidence they need to excel in future, specialized roles. It is also from where many officers will reminisce most about their favourite calls or most memorable experiences. Ask any officer for some of their patrol stories and you will hear about adrenaline rushes, endless energy while catching a bad guy and an eagerness to make a difference.

Qualities

It takes a lot to make a good officer and there are many qualities that are very important that we look for in potential candidates. Officers must be honest and have the utmost integrity and when responding to challenging calls, members often display courage and perseverance, along with compassion and understanding. These qualities are not strictly male or female traits, but ones that help make you a good police officer no matter what sex.

Women bring a unique dynamic to policing and female officers are often very competent in many crucial components of community policing. Agencies across the globe have recognized this and begun to actively recruit female officers to help support some of these new roles that members are taking on. Women do extremely well at communicating and they have great interpersonal skills, which can be very helpful when dealing with situations where victims of crime would feel more comfortable discussing what occurred with a female officer, perhaps someone they can relate to. Female officers compliment their male partners and often provide a different perspective. Women are also great problem solvers and often approach and solve problems from a different angle than their male counterparts. EPS officers recognize these differences and see them as vital components of a great team! In the end, each gender brings something unique and valuable to the job. That is why a diverse membership is so important to the EPS.