Hartford Police Pledge More Female Officers

HARTFORD, CT — The Hartford Police Department has signed on to a program aiming to drastically increase the amount of female officers within its ranks in a few years.

Last week, the department announced that it is participating in the "30X30 Pledge," a coalition program that, essentially, calls for having 30 percent of the department staffed by women by 2030.

Nationally, Hartford police said, the number is currently about 12 percent of police staff members being women.

The goal of the initiative is to better represent the community and advance the cause for women's progress in law enforcement.

According to a department announcement of the program, which was issued Aug. 24, the initiative is affiliated with the "Policing Project" at the NYU School of Law and the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives.

In the 1970s, the Hartford PD had its first women graduate from the Hartford Police Academy.

Now, the department is looking to add more females into the ranks of Hartford's finest.

"I have had the privilege of watching the number of women in policing increase significantly over the years. We are continuing to see more women apply, graduate the academy and excel in their careers here at the Hartford Police Department," Hartford Police Chief Jason Thody said in a statement.

"While the department remains above the national average, there is still a lot of work to do. Our pledge to the 30X30 initiative doubles down on our commitment to build a diverse workforce that better reflects our community."

For the full announcement, click on this link.

For more information on the Hartford Police Department, including application information, click on this link.