San Francisco Sheriff's Office signs 30x30 pledge for more female officers
SAN FRANCISCO - Today the San Francisco Sheriff's Office signed on to the 30x30 Pledge actions that policing agencies can take to improve the representation and experiences of women in law enforcement.
"We're proud to take part in this initiative because it's going to help transform law enforcement into a more equitable and inclusive profession," said Sheriff Paul Miyamoto. "We're working hard to increase recruitment efforts to advance female representation in our agency."
The Pledge includes actions that help policing agencies assess the current state of a department with regard to gender equity, identify factors that may be driving any disparities, and develop and implement strategies and solutions to eliminate barriers and advance women. These actions address recruitment, assessment, hiring, retention, promotion, and agency culture.
The Pledge is the foundational effort of the 30x30 Initiative - a coalition of police leaders, researchers, and professional organizations who have joined together to advance the representation and experiences of women in all ranks of policing across the United States. The 30x30 Initiative is affiliated with the Policing Project at NYU School of Law and the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE).
The ultimate goal of the 30x30 Initiative is to reach 30 percent of women in police recruit classes by 2030, and to ensure policing agencies are truly representative of the jurisdiction the agency serves.
More than 190 agencies - from major metro departments including the New York City Police Department, to mid-sized, rural, university and state policing agencies - have signed the 30x30 Pledge. The Pledge is based on social science research that greater representation of women on police forces leads to better policing outcomes for communities.
Here in the Bay Area, the Newark police department has already signed on with the pledge.
Currently, women make up only 12 percent of sworn officers and three percent of police leadership in the U.S. This underrepresentation of women in policing has significant public safety implications. Research suggests that women officers:
- Use less force and less excessive force
- Are named in fewer complaints and lawsuits
- Are perceived by communities as being more honest and compassionate
- See better outcomes for crime victims, especially in sexual assault cases
"We are grateful to the San Francisco Sheriff's Office for being one of the first in the nation to commit to being a part of this growing movement," said Maureen McGough, co-founder of the 30x30 Initiative. "We believe strongly that advancing women in policing is critical to improving public safety outcomes. We look forward to having more agencies follow the San Francisco Sheriff's Office's lead by signing the pledge and improving the representation and experiences of women in policing."
For more information, visit www.30x30initiative.org.