By Chief Sean Washington
Police departments nationwide are grappling with hiring challenges, with officer resignations up 29% since 2019. The situation is even more alarming when it comes to female representation, as women only make up 12% of sworn officers and 3% of police leadership in the U.S.
In response to serving diverse communities throughout our nation, increasing representation of women in policing strengthens public safety. Increasing the number of women in law enforcement brings several benefits, including greater diversity, a more balanced workforce and a police force that better reflects — and, in turn, connects with — the community it serves.
Like other departments, the Fremont Police Department (FPD) has seen its fair share of recruiting challenges. What has been successful for Fremont is assessing current policies and initiatives and determining where we fall short, what can be improved and steps that need to be taken to ensure women are adequately represented.
When it comes to supporting women in policing, our goal isn’t to give female officers an advantage — it’s about leveling the playing field. In fact, creating opportunities aligned with procedural justice principles is the key to legitimizing hiring and advancement opportunities. If an organization has legitimate, transparent and fair procedures, no one, including men, should feel threatened or disadvantaged by intentional proactive efforts to provide equal opportunity. For example, 50 years ago, female locker rooms weren’t available in Fremont’s Police Department. My colleagues had to change in a break room area, with little privacy, and I am sure this was a reality for other departments nationwide as well.
We are better now because of the voices that advocated for this change. It did not give anyone an unfair advantage — it simply gave our employees access to the tools they needed to have more success in their roles.
The Fremont Police Department has historically been receptive to diversity as one of the first in our region to hire women as fully deployed police officers in the 1970s, without being mandated by the courts. However, as a department, we know there is much more work to be done. Read on to learn more about the proactive steps FPD is taking to recruit and retain female officers.
Signing the 30x30 Pledge
While policing and law enforcement have historically been male-dominated professions, we know our populations don’t reflect that reality. Case in point: The City of Fremont is comprised of 49% female community members. The more diverse we are as a department, the better our ability to protect and serve our community’s needs.
In 2021, I signed the 30x30 pledge, committing FPD to align with the principles and research best practices and objectives of the initiative, with the goal of having 30% or more women officers by 2030. Research by the 30x30 initiative suggests that female officers tend to use less force, are named in fewer complaints and lawsuits, are perceived by communities as being compassionate, and see better outcomes for crime victims — particularly in sexual assault situations. This information does not suggest women are better than men as police officers. We all understand beneficial characteristics exist in all genders, and the research highlights skills and abilities that may bring more balance and be advantageous to the profession.
While I am proud that FPD is currently above the national average for female officers, signing the pledge is only the first step in solving a larger diversity issue. I am not going to consider this initiative a failure if we do not have 30% women officers by 2030; I am less concerned about the numbers and more focused on the values and principles of the 30x30 initiative, which starts by creating a work environment where female officers feel truly supported, have opportunities to progress in their careers, and can adequately balance their work and home responsibilities.
Creating a safe space for meaningful feedback
Historically, discussions about women’s issues in policing weren’t openly addressed. Whether it’s because female officers want to assimilate and “be one of the guys” or they fear being perceived a certain way, they sometimes don’t feel comfortable voicing concerns to a male colleague, and these unspoken barriers have at times limited open dialogue on issues uniquely impacting women in law enforcement. At FPD, we want our female colleagues to feel comfortable articulating their concerns, viewpoints, and recommendations.
To enhance the line of communication, we’ve contacted a third-party organization to facilitate off-site communication sessions. My hope is that providing a supportive environment will help empower our female officers to engage in open dialogue without the pressure of being judged.
Creating a safe space for women isn’t limited to the recruitment process and while they’re employed with Fremont. FPD also encourages feedback from female officers when they choose to embark on a new adventure.
By collecting and analyzing insights from exit interviews, we gain a better understanding of why women chose to leave, which allows us to make necessary adjustments to retention strategies. This approach educates us on how we can be more supportive in helping female officers balance their professional and personal responsibilities, including motherhood.
Supporting working mothers
While men, like women, face challenges in balancing fatherhood and their careers, women also encounter unique challenges that should be considered. Although not specifically written for police officers, the Harvard’s Gender Action Portal reports mothers are perceived as 12.1% less committed to their jobs than non-mothers. Fathers are perceived as being 5% more committed than non-fathers.
The report, external law enforcement observations and internal experience motivated our department to introduce, when practical, flexible work options like telework, and specific programs (like lead-free practice ammunition for mothers) to make the workplace more accommodating for moms. We’ve also contacted female leaders from other agencies to gather advice on ways to support women in policing, including challenges women share around childbirth and childcare that compounded difficulties in achieving career success.
I’m a father myself, but I don’t pretend to understand the mental and physical challenges that come from childbirth and coming back to work. For new and expecting mothers, we’ve formed a small working group to review lactation room and break policies as well as evaluate functionality and comfortability to be more accommodating. Our lactation room is designed by women — as it should be.
Encouraging attendance at women-led events
In addition to sending female officers to women-led and women-focused events to hear other women’s perspectives, we also encourage our male officers to attend and engage in these important discussions.
There are challenges that men may not fully understand because they haven’t experienced them. However, by attending these events, male officers can learn about the unique needs and situations that come with being a woman in this profession and, hopefully, turn into real allies who support and champion these initiatives.
We also invite female officers to share experiences with the Department to emphasize what could be improved in the law enforcement culture as a whole. It can be very impactful to hear these first-person perspectives on the real issues women face in and outside of work. Even if it puts us in uncomfortable situations, we find these discussions often foster understanding and empathy.
Fair opportunities for all: Dismantling the status quo
Our leadership team is actively working to ensure everyone (men and women) have equal opportunities. We have long moved away from the “good old boy” culture in policing. This starts by promoting fairness and respect and ensuring everyone’s perspectives are considered. Behaviors, comments, or actions that aren’t aligned with our values and expectations is not condoned.
As Chief, I take an active role in vetting all promotions and special assignment recommendations. I ask questions to uncover reasons behind why a particular officer was selected over another to ensure fairness.
We’ve also fostered an environment where people hold each other accountable for inappropriate comments, that may be unintentional but actually do cause harm and further stereotypes and negative perceptions of female officers. I’ve noticed members of our department also hold each other accountable for these behaviors, and while this is encouraging, more is needed to eliminate all unfairness or gender bias from our workplace.
A future where female officers are simply officers
We believe police agencies should foster a culture in which women, along with those of any gender identity, feel included, valued, respected and equal. As Fremont is one of the most diverse cities in the country, FPD is steadily working toward becoming an agency that mirrors our community, equipping officers to connect with and serve individuals from all backgrounds, cultures and beliefs.
As Fremont’s Police Chief, I’ve made it my goal to ensure we are constantly reassessing our current practices and benefits. Looking ahead, we are surveying female officers and professional staff to gather even more feedback to ensure barriers to their success and advancement to higher ranks are removed.
The end goal is to improve our organization and the entire profession by becoming more diverse and inclusive and giving everyone the opportunity to pursue their dreams. At FPD, our dedication to excellence drives us to continually improve, find new ways to recruit more women, support our female staff, and foster a culture that upholds equality and respect for all.
Together, we can build a stronger, more inclusive future in policing, and who knows, maybe someday in the future we will be talking about how departments that more closely reflect the makeup of its communities result in enhanced services.
Everyone deserves fair opportunity to success and achieve. I know many police chiefs throughout the nation share the objective to ensure law enforcement professionals consist of talented, skilled individuals possessing integrity and other desirable traits worthy of wearing the badge. I am very proud of the members of my department for embracing policies, procedures, change and actions supportive of creating an environment of fairness for everyone!
About the author
Police Chief Sean Washington joined the Fremont (California) Police Department in 1997 and worked several assignments gaining experience as a Detective, Field Training Officer, SWAT Team Member, Arrest Control Instructor, Driving Instructor, and member of the School Resource Officer Unit. Chief Washington was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2007, Lieutenant in 2011, and Captain in 2015 as commander of the Special Operations Division. He was appointed Police Chief on October 1, 2021.
Chief Washington is committed to ensuring FPD serves the community members with dignity, respect, and fairness. He remains actively involved in Special Olympics Northern California and other community-based events, such as hosting Shop With a Cop and mentoring local children. Previously, he also led one of the nation’s first Electric Patrol Vehicle Pilot Programs in 2019 when FPD deployed its first fully electric-powered vehicle, a Tesla Model S 85, as part of its patrol fleet.
Chief Washington earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from California State University, Hayward in 1997 and a Master’s degree in Administration of Justice from San Jose State University in 2007.
