When Virginia O’Connell joined the police force in 1967, women made up only 1 percent of the NYPD. Six decades later, 19 percent of officers at the NYPD are women; the national average is 12 percent, a number that’s remained stagnant since the 1990s—despite research that shows that on average, female officers use less force and achieve equal if not better outcomes.
Author: Cari Shane
Cari Shane is a D.C.-based freelance journalist who writes on subjects she finds fascinating—especially science, medicine and health. Shane's work can be found in a wide variety of publications, from Scientific American to Smithsonian to Fast Company.
The U.S. Needs Sweeping Police Reform. Start by Hiring More Women.
Only 12 percent of the nation’s police officers are women; that number has remained stagnant for more than 25 years. (That’s what happens when officers are recruited for physical strength, rather than critical thinking and communication skills.)
“Could George Floyd’s death have been prevented had there been women police officers on the scene? It’s likely.”