Enhancing Women’s Representation and Equity in Policing: Insight from the NPCC

Janette McCormick, Strategic Workforce lead at the National Police Chiefs Council, joined us at our Women in Policing Conference. Her presentation showed that understanding and leveraging granular data is essential to effectively attract, retain, and promote women in policing. This approach has been integral in shaping strategies both at local and national levels, reflecting the lived experiences of women and their allies in the police force. Here, we delve into the current state of recruitment, progression, and retention of women in policing, with a focus on equity and pay conditions, resonating with broader discussions on departmental representation.

Recruitment Trends and Challenges

Over the past two decades, the representation of women in policing has seen some progress, but it’s been uneven. From 2000 to 2010, there was a modest increase in female recruits, with about 25% of new officers being women. However, this growth halved in the following decade, compounded by fewer women joining and more leaving the force. By 2019, the landscape began to shift due to several factors:

1. Growth Opportunities: A significant recruitment drive led to a turnover of a third of the police service, providing a unique opportunity to enhance representation.
2. Evidence-Based Practices: Focused efforts to understand barriers and develop good practices for attracting and retaining women.
3. New Entry Routes: The introduction of new entry routes has made policing more attractive to women and ethnic minority officers. This has resulted in a significant increase, with 43% of new recruits being women.

Despite these improvements, challenges remain, particularly in maintaining and enhancing this growth as recruitment numbers stabilise. There’s a real need to address perceptions of policing as a professional occupation and to ensure inclusivity and support for women, especially those with less academic attainment or those returning to work after career breaks.

Progression and Cultural Change

Achieving a critical mass of 30% female representation is seen as a tipping point for cultural change within organisations. While the representation of women at the constable level has surged, their progression through the ranks remains limited. Positive improvements are noted at the top of the organisation, but significant gaps persist at the sergeant and inspector levels, crucial ranks for setting standards and challenging behaviours.

A survey of 3,000 female officers in 2022 revealed that high pass rates for promotion exams were not translating into applications. Barriers included concerns about work-life balance, the investment required for promotion, potential job upheaval, and fear of failure. Role models and support from senior and female managers were identified as critical factors for encouraging progression.

Retention: A Key to Progression

Retention is crucial for progression. Women tend to stay in their first few years of service at higher rates than men, but attrition increases significantly at the 10-20 year mark, often coinciding with career and family pressures. This period is also critical for promotion, as the average service length for newly promoted sergeants is 14 years and 25 years for superintendents. Losing women at this stage hampers their progression and impacts overall representation in higher ranks.

Moving Forward: Strategies for Improvement

1. Data-Driven Approaches: Continual analysis of recruitment and retention data to identify gaps and tailor strategies.
2. Addressing Barriers: Implementing policies to mitigate barriers to progression and retention, such as flexible working arrangements and support for returning officers.
3. Focusing on Equity: Ensuring that strategies not only increase representation but also address pay and condition inequities to provide a fairer working environment.

By focusing on these areas, policing can become more inclusive, equitable, and representative, benefiting from the diverse experiences and perspectives that women bring to the force.

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