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14 Women & Crim. Just. 1 (2002-2003)

handle is hein.journals/wwcj14 and id is 1 raw text is: Advice to Women Beginning a Career in Policing Penny E. Harrington Let me begin this article by congratulating each of you on either contemplating or beginning your career in policing. I cannot think of any career that offers more opportunity, challenges and rewards than law enforcement. However, women who are entering or considering a career in law enforcement today need to be aware of the discrimina- tion issues still remaining so that they will recognize them when they arise. My career in policing began in 1964 in the Portland, Oregon, Police Bureau. At that time, women could not be hired as patrolmen. Women were hired as policewomen. This separation in classifica- tions led to severe discrimination against women. For example, women were required to have a college degree and men were only required to have a G.E.D. Women were paid 6% less than male officers doing the same job. Women were assigned to the Women's Protective Division and were not allowed to transfer to any other divisions or to take promo- tional examinations for anything except the Women's Protective Divi- sion. Due to the efforts of the early women in policing and to legal cases and EEOC rulings, all of those roadblocks to equality for women have been eliminated. I'd like to first summarize some of the many advan- tages of a career in law enforcement. Second, I'll outline some of the unique challenges that women face within this field. Third, I'll give some advice that I learned throughout my career, to help women like you successfully navigate your own way. Chief Penny E. Harrington is Director of the National Center for Women & Po licing. Women & Criminal Justice, Vol. 14(1) 2002 http://www.haworthpressinc.com/store/product.asp?sku=J012 0 2002 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved. 1