Urbana police pledge to increase representation of women in ranks

Sam Lisec, The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.
·3 min read
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Apr. 26—URBANA — The Urbana Police Department announced Thursday it has joined a nationwide initiative that aims, in coming years, to double the number of women who are sworn police officers.

Women only make up about 12 percent of sworn officers and 3 percent of police leadership in the country, according to a news release from the Urbana Police Department.

Out of the city police department's 60 officers, 10 are women.

The 30x30 Initiative — first launched by the Policing Project at NYU School of Law and the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives last year — aims to increase the percentage of women in police recruit classes to 30 percent by 2030.

"This commitment signifies the dedication of the Urbana Police Department to enhance the presence and encounters of female officers within our organization," police Chief Larry D. Boone said in the release.

More than 300 police agencies, from major metro departments like the New York City Police Department, to mid-sized, rural, university and state policing agencies, have apparently signed the 30x30 pledge.

Urbana police Lt. Zachary Mikalik clarified that by joining the program's second class in January, the city aims to contribute to the collective boost of representation in law enforcement — rather than each agency individually attaining a 30 percent advance in its recruit classes.

But by participating, Mikalik said, the Urbana Police Department has gained access to guidance from the coalition on how to assess the current state of the agency's gender equity, how to identify factors driving disparities and develop strategies toward eliminating barriers.

The department began in January by polling its female employees with surveys provided by the 30x30 Initiative on their encounters in the department. Then, the department went through its existing policies to make sure it did not have discriminatory practices on the books.

Mikalik said the Urbana Police Department ensured it had policies in place suggested by the initiative, like having designated spaces for nursing mothers and appropriate equipment like ballistic vests fitted for women's bodies.

Moving forward, the department will be focusing on its hiring, retention and promotion procedures, Mikalik said, by reviewing internal data and conducting exit interviews.

"We're working with HR to make sure that our recruitment is specifically targeting women and at the same time, the data has shown that as you hire more women, that it also increases our applicants of people of color, which is something that we're also working toward," Mikalik said.

According to the initiative, research suggests women use less excessive force, are named in fewer lawsuits, are perceived by communities as being more honest and compassionate and see better outcomes for crime victims, especially in sexual-assault cases.

"We believe strongly that advancing women in policing is critical to improving public safety outcomes," Maureen McGough, co-founder of the 30x30 Initiative, said in the release.

"We look forward to having more agencies follow Urbana's lead by signing the pledge and improving the representation and experiences of women in policing."