| The focus of this study was the lack of women police chiefs in police departments. It has been suggested that more women in law enforcement would make a positive impact in police-citizen involved incidents; helping to thwart police shootings and riots, reducing use of force lawsuits, and curtailing a prevailing white male culture. Police departments do not recognize the unique talents of women. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the perceptions of women police chiefs and their ranking police employees of the unique contributions that these chiefs, as women, bring to their departments. Feminist theory guided this study, specifically with the concepts of difference and diversity. Data were collected through archival sources and interviews with four female police chief participants and one each of their respective ranking employees who were recruited from municipalities across the United States. The research questions were designed to determine the unique contributions of women police chiefs through perceptions from women police chiefs, through perceptions of their police employees, and to compare these perceptions. The findings of this current study suggested that interpersonal skills were crucial to the uniqueness of women. Findings also suggested that women use coping strategies in combatting the existing barriers and challenges, which paralleled prior literature findings. Police departments need to start recruiting for more woman police officers, many of whom have the potential of becoming chiefs, as suggested in the findings. A future recommendation for replicating this study includes interviewing male police chiefs for their perceptions of their peer group's contributions. Another recommendation would be to enlarge the participant pool through including other law enforcement agencies, such as sheriff's offices and state agencies. |
