BOSTON — For more than three years, the 30x30 Initiative has partnered with police agencies across the United States to foster meaningful change for women in law enforcement. By developing evidence-based strategies, the initiative aims to increase the representation of women in policing and create environments where they can thrive and advance.
A panel discussion at the IACP 2024 conference showcased the successes and lessons learned from three 30x30 participating agencies with a focus on how to effect change and increase the representation of women in policing.
Featuring distinguished leaders like Assistant Chief Armando R. Aguilar from Miami, Florida, Chief Kenneth Cost from Mesa, Arizona, and Chief Sheryl Victorian from Waco, Texas, the panel underscored each department’s unique approach to fostering a more inclusive police force.
Here’s a breakdown of the strategies each agency is deploying to help recruit and retain more female police officers.
Waco (Texas) Police Department
Waco Police Chief Sheryl Victorian’s approach to inclusive leadership is evident in her goal of fostering a department that represents the full diversity of the community.
“In policing, we always say we want our agencies to be representative of the communities we serve, but when we typically think about that, what are we thinking about? Race equity, right? But females make up about 51% of the communities that we serve. So, I love the fact that the 30x30 initiative asks the question, ‘Why is there such a gap?’”
Victorian has implemented several key initiatives to support women in her department, focusing on both tangible resources and professional growth.
1. Lactation room
Victorian spoke openly about the challenges of establishing a lactation room in the department. Despite resistance and a high initial quote from a contractor of $47,000 to construct a lactation room, she and her team repurposed an existing space for just $4,000. “You get pushback at every level,” she explained. “You have to be intentional about your efforts.” By providing a quiet, private space for nursing mothers, Victorian aimed to show women in her department that their wellbeing matters: “Let’s not make it a little room in the locker room because it’s the women’s locker room. We do care about them and their families and them wanting to extend their families.”
2. Public Safety Summit and professional development
Realizing the importance of inspiration and support among women in public safety, Victorian created Waco’s annual Women in Public Safety Summit. Held each March during Women’s History Month, the event aims to foster empowerment within the department. Victorian noted the significance of male allies attending the summit, recalling that “the feedback I got from those gentlemen was that they were inspired.” She stressed the importance of male attendance to witness the value of female leadership and advocacy within the department. “We need advocates for what’s going on … when we’re pulling women off the street for the day to send them somewhere, to be inspired, to be encouraged, to be motivated to promote.”
Victorian also champions ongoing professional development. She collaborates with women’s leadership programs, encouraging team members to join organizations like the Women’s Leadership Institute in Texas and the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas. “I think it’s really important that women in our organizations feel empowered, that they feel included, they feel encouraged and they feel inspired,” she emphasized.
3. Identifying and supporting emerging leaders
Victorian highlighted the need to actively seek out future leaders, especially those who might not see leadership potential in themselves.
“Hewlett-Packard conducted a study to examine promotion patterns and the reasons behind them. They discovered that women often hesitated to apply for positions unless they met 100% of the listed qualifications. In contrast, men were more likely to apply even if they met only 60% of the qualifications — and many of these men secured leadership roles,” noted Victorian. “We have to make sure to identify those young women who meet that 60% and tell them to go forward and make sure that we’re coaching them along the way.”
Mesa (Arizona) Police Department
Under Mesa Police Chief Kenneth Cost’s leadership, Mesa became the 25th agency to join the 30x30 Initiative, a step he attributes not only to his professional commitment but also to personal influences.
“One of my mentors was my mother,” he shared. “She worked her way up in a male-dominated profession and led a large group of men. That was my example growing up, a super-strong woman who worked her way through.” Inspired by this, Cost emphasized the need for commitment and accountability in achieving gender equity.
Cost detailed several initiatives the Mesa Police Department has in place to support women in law enforcement:
1. Accountability and internal communication
Cost highlighted that commitment to the 30x30 Initiative wasn’t enough. “What we didn’t do really well was talk to the rest of the department … all the way down to our line level, both sworn and professional staff,” he explained. Initially, the department faced resistance, particularly from female officers who weren’t fully aware of the program’s intent. “We had to literally go around to the roll calls and briefings with our commanders and really talk about what it is — not just what it is not.” This face-to-face approach helped Mesa PD build understanding, leading to a marked shift in engagement from existing officers.
2. Rebranding for a modern audience
Recognizing that Gen Z and millennials respond to different messaging styles, Cost spearheaded a rebranding of the department’s recruitment materials. Instead of lengthy videos or tactical showcases, the department shifted to shorter, engaging content. “Folks don’t want to watch a 10-15 minute video. They’re looking for 30-second videos, 45-second videos,” he explained, emphasizing that recruits are interested in the agency’s culture, work-life balance and family support. Mesa’s rebranding effort wasn’t only about visuals; it was about showing a culture of support. “We needed to make sure that folks looked at that and saw, ‘Hey, this is an agency I want to go to,’” said Cost.
3. Personalized recruiting and “Mesa Day”
Mesa PD introduced “Mesa Day,” an event where candidates go through various physical tests and activities before formal evaluations, allowing them to experience a day in the life of an officer and receive personal coaching.
“We know what the limitations can be, and we really work with you … we continue to check on you,” Cost said. This hands-on approach to recruitment has had a measurable impact on applicant retention. Cost noted proudly, “Every single applicant gets a personal reach-out from our recruiters to make sure, ‘Hey, we care that you care, that you’re applying.’”
4. Pre-recruit program and culture integration
Mesa PD’s pre-recruit program ensures candidates are thoroughly prepared before entering the police academy. Cost likened his role to that of a football coach, tasked with securing strong recruits before neighboring departments “grab them.” To achieve this, Mesa PD hires recruits early and pays them while they learn department culture, build camaraderie, and tackle emotional intelligence and fitness training as a cohort. “They’ve learned your culture before they even get to the academy class,” he explained.
The results of Mesa PD’s concerted efforts to retain and support female officers have been profound, with a 71% increase in female officers over the past five years. In just the past year, women made up 22% of Mesa’s academy classes, a notable figure considering their 875-strong force. Cost expressed pride in these numbers, recognizing the department’s growth: “We’re super proud of those numbers as we go forward.”
Miami (Florida) Police Department
Assistant Chief Armando Aguilar shared Miami PD’s journey toward increasing female representation, beginning with an acknowledgment of the strong support from Miami PD Chief Manny Morales, and the Miami PD leadership team. Aguilar detailed how Miami’s recruitment and retention initiatives aim to reflect the diverse community it serves. Over the last decade, Miami PD has raised its female representation to approximately 22%, with recent recruit classes boasting a notable 39% female representation. Aguilar emphasized, “We did not get there by telling a single male applicant, ‘No, you can’t, because we’re hiring women.’ There’s absolutely room for everybody here.”
Key initiatives detailed by Aguilar included:
1. Revamping physical abilities testing
Recognizing that traditional physical abilities tests were often not reflective of the actual tasks officers face, Miami PD transitioned to more job-related standards. “We went from the old-style physical abilities test — jumping the wall, dragging the dummy … those tests weren’t realistic job tasks,” Aguilar explained. The revamped tests now focus on measures like a mile-and-a-half run to assess endurance, an essential skill that Aguilar noted as more relevant: “It’s a great way to gauge somebody’s ability to last two minutes or more in a fight until help arrives.”
2. Streamlined application process
In understanding the needs of Gen Z recruits, Aguilar emphasized the importance of a user-friendly application process. “We know something about Gen Z applicants,” he said, “50 percent of them, the minute they see paper, they’re gone.” To counter this, Miami PD replaced lengthy paper applications with a simplified electronic format that only captures necessary information. Aguilar described it as “a process that they’re more familiar with, more comfortable with,” leading to a higher initial engagement rate among applicants.
3. Holistic and inclusive recruitment strategy
Aguilar shared Miami PD’s approach to highlighting all aspects of policing to appeal to a broader audience. “Highlight everything,” he advised, “highlight your SWAT team, your K-9 teams … but also highlight patrol, crisis intervention, your homeless outreach team.” His philosophy is that recruits should see the variety within policing to envision themselves in roles that align with their interests. Aguilar emphasized targeting recruitment toward areas where Miami PD has been historically underrepresented, especially through partnerships with colleges that have higher female enrollments.
4. Grassroots feedback through an advisory committee
To gauge the impact of the 30x30 Initiative at a department level, Aguilar established an advisory committee with female officers. “I thought we were going to be talking about career development and mentorship,” he said, but was surprised by the practical issues brought forward, like access to uniform items after maternity leave. Female officers explained, “After a female officer comes back … can we get the Quartermaster to stop giving us a hard time about getting a new pair of pants?” Hearing this, Aguilar immediately made changes, allowing returning officers to keep their old uniforms and receive new pairs.
5. Enhanced support for new parents
Aguilar introduced measures to support new parents more effectively, including integrating Miami’s peer support program into FMLA and maternity leave processes. Before officers go on maternity leave, they are connected with peer support personnel specializing in postpartum concerns. Aguilar stressed the importance of preparing officers for potential mental health challenges post-birth, noting, “We just tell them, ‘Here’s some of the things for you to look out for … if it hits you, this is the type of help you should be looking for.’”
6. Improving lactation room access and childcare support
Miami’s lactation room, though initially available, required female officers to navigate logistical barriers to access it, including obtaining a key from a separate building. Aguilar recognized these issues, explaining, “It’s almost like, yeah, we have it, but … we don’t really want you to use it.” He is now focused on finding a dedicated space that’s more easily accessible for mothers. Furthermore, Aguilar has invited the union into discussions on potential childcare support measures for all officers, noting that childcare needs are universal and affect both male and female officers.
Conclusion
As the 30x30 Initiative continues to pave the way for women in law enforcement, departments like Miami, Mesa and Waco demonstrate that thoughtful, evidence-informed changes can make a profound difference. Their successes reveal the power of commitment, accountability and inclusive practices to not only attract women to policing but to inspire and support them as leaders. The impact of these efforts extends beyond individual departments, setting the stage for a nationwide shift toward gender equity and representation in policing.
