Lacey Police Department Joins National Initiative to Advance Women in Policing

The Lacey Police Department (LPD) recently joined the 30×30 Pledge, an effort to get more women into policing to improve equity, public safety, trust in law enforcement, and community outcomes. The Pledge includes a series of low- and no-cost actions policing agencies can take to improve representation and experiences of women in law enforcement. The actions address recruitment, assessment, hiring, retention, promotion, and agency culture.

Over the past three years, the LPD has increased its number of police officers who are women from 10% to 20%. However, women make up only 12% of police officers and 3% of police leadership in the United States. This under-representation has significant public- safety implications. Research suggests that police officers who are women:

• Use less force, including less-excessive force.
• Are named in fewer complaints and lawsuits.
• Are perceived by communities as being more honest and compassionate.
• Have better outcomes for crime victims, especially in sexual assault cases.

The ultimate outcome of the 30×30 Initiative is to reach a goal of 30% of women in police recruit classes by 2030, and to ensure policing agencies are more representative of the jurisdiction the agency serves. LPD is also dedicated to continuing to increase racial and ethnic diversity within the City’s police force.