Increased Female Hires to the Police Force May Decrease Excessive Force Claims Against Police Officers

Overt police brutality has gained widespread notoriety over the last year due to the increased presence of the media and technology that is able to capture bad acts from aggressive law enforcement officers. Footage of aggressive attacks captured on cell phones has led the world to witness horrific events, often with defenseless men and women who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Knowledge has led to the consideration of the best tactics by which to curb this aggression. This has led to suggestions regarding limiting protections to officers for their bad acts, instituting training sessions on how to deal with racial injustice, and the enforcement of using body cameras in hopes that greater education and vigilance will combat the frequency of which we are seeing unnecessary police violence and brutality.

The Current Status Quo of Females on The Police Force

The most recent possible remedy to the issue of police violence is the inclusion of more women onto the force. According to the Washington Post and studies published within the article, there are many advantages to including more women in the currently male-dominated profession. According to the Post, in the 1970s, the police force was roughly 97 percent male. Though the numbers have changed over time, with the police force now 88 percent male, there have been studies revealing the important effect that increasing females on the force will have not only on police brutality issues, but financial incentives, as well.

Why Women Officers May Be The Best Solution to Decreasing Police Aggression

According to one study, females are more likely to de-escalate a potentially violent situation and are integral to community trust. This is largely because women are more likely to evaluate a situation and tackle it in a non-physical way, in particular because women tend to be less likely to use their body physically in order to stop the commission of a crime. Men are more likely to be aggressive and use their body when carrying out their duties as law enforcement. Women are more likely to evaluate a situation, and find a nonphysical solution to de-escalate a foreboding situation. Women are also more likely to report bad behavior and misconduct of their colleagues, thus being more efficient in stopping the bad apples than body cameras.

FInancial Incentives of Women Police Officers

Also, the force has a greater financial incentive in hiring female police officers. Men are more expensive to have on the force, and their cost is unrelated to their higher salaries. Because men are more physical in their policing, the taxpayer has to spend between 2.5 and 5.5 times more on excessive force lawsuit settlements that involve men than involve women. On average, men are 8.5 times more likely than women to have an excessive force allegation against them.

The New Policing Policy and Women Officers

With police brutality at the forefront of the American people’s minds, the forms of policing that compose the new police training modules will involve greater emphasis on community building and decreased physical aggression when in a potentially violent situation. Women will help to bring in the new wave of non-aggressive policing that hopefully will make communities safer and, more importantly, will renew trust between the communities and those whose job it is to protect them.

Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney in Fort Lauderdale

If you or a loved one has been a victim of excessive force by police officers, it is important to speak with an experienced defense attorney like Kevin J. Kulik who can ensure that your trial is fair, impartial and brings to light any violence that occurred against you by police misconduct. Contact Kevin J. Kulik today for a free and confidential consultation in the Fort Lauderdale area.