Today, leading public safety technology company Mark43 and the 30x30Initiative, a national effort to advance women in policing, announced a listening session hosted by the University of Colorado Boulder Police Department. Currently, more than 200 law enforcement agencies have taken the 30×30 pledge: a commitment to increase the representation of women in police recruit classes to 30% by 2030.
Today’s session includes participants from the University of Colorado Boulder Police Department, Boulder Police Department, Denver Police Department, Castle Rock Police Department, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Louisville Police Department, Thornton Police Department, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Lakewood Police Department, and the Regional Transportation District Transit Police Division. This marks 30×30’s third listening session, following successful meetings in Baltimore County and Philadelphia. Each stop across the country, co-hosted by Mark43 and 30×30, is specifically designed to capture actionable insights to help attract more women to law enforcement careers and support their professional development. Following the focus groups, Mark43 and 30×30 will share findings and additional recommendations for law enforcement agencies.
In addition, a new nationwide poll found that 90% of respondents believe that demographic balance in police agencies is somewhat or very important. The survey of 1,020 people over the age of 18 was sponsored by Mark43 and conducted by Propeller Insights, an independent survey research firm, and underscores the necessity of female representation across law enforcement.
Ganesha Martin, Mark43 Vice President of Community Affairs, Public Policy and Advisory Services and a Steering Committee Member of the 30×30 Initiative said: “Pressing challenges in law enforcement can’t be solved without bringing people with current lived experiences together to shine a light on issues and develop solutions collectively. These listening sessions will give a megaphone to women police officers so that they can share what works and what doesn’t and, together, problem solve and enact change. Today’s listening session is a step forward in our shared mission of enhancing equity across police departments.”
“As a female police chief helping to lead the way in the Pac-12 in signing the 30×30 pledge, I understand the importance of this initiative to the full life cycle of recruitment, hiring, development and retention of female officers. CUPD is thrilled to host this listening session and to contribute our experiences and insights, ultimately crafting recommendations to encourage more women to join the policing profession,” Doreen Jokerst, Chief of Police at University of Colorado Boulder said.
Chief of Police Maris Herold at Boulder Police Department said, “Women have the capacity to create change, lead with power, and encourage new perspectives to be taken. The 30×30 Initiative encourages women and helps promote pathways for women to enter this great profession. We are invested in developing a culture of equity through our policies, practices, and commitment of valuing women’s contributions to this field. This event is an opportunity to welcome open discussions about the culture and performance in policing as it pertains to the barriers women face when becoming police officers and moving up in rank. My hope is that we recognize unique issues in recruitment, retention, and promotion of women with respect to the intersection of race and gender, cultural norms for family obligations, and the changing role of community policing in the 21st century.
Chief Ivonne Roman (ret.), former Chief of the Newark, N.J. Police Department and co-founder of the 30×30 Initiative said: “These listening sessions play a critical part of our work to support police departments across the country in their recruitment and retention of women. Time and again, research shows that women produce better outcomes for police departments through their communication skills, through their interpersonal skills and satisfaction from the citizens. Hearing from women on the ground is integral, and we’re thrilled to partner with Mark43 on this important effort.”
Nationwide, women comprise only 12 percent of sworn law enforcement personnel and only 3 percent of leadership positions. Research shows that when there is a larger proportion of female officers, we observe better public safety outcomes. Mark43 is committed to supporting programs that develop public safety workforces reflective of the communities they serve. Communities thrive when they see themselves represented in local policies, practices, and personnel.
Mark43 encourages law enforcement agencies to take the 30×30 Pledge and commit to increasing women recruits to 30 percent by 2030.
Mark43 is the trusted leader in public safety technology, providing a secure, all-in-one platform for agencies to save time, stay compliant, and ensure community safety.
