Baltimore County Police Pledge To Add More Women To Force

TOWSON, MD — The Baltimore County Police Department announced Wednesday that it has joined the 30x30 Initiative, which is a national movement designed to promote the advancement of women in policing.

According to the 30x30 website, the program's goal is to increase the representation of women in police recruit classes to30 percent by 2030, and to ensure police policies and culture intentionally support the success of women officers throughout their careers.

The initiative is sponsored by the Policing Project at the New York University School of Law, an organization dedicated to police reform. The 30x30 Initiative is supported by a coalition that brings together police leaders, researchers and professional organizations like the National Association of Women in Law Enforcement Executives and the Police Executive Research Forum.

"This pledge demonstrates that the Baltimore County Police Department is actively working toward improving the representation and experiences of women officers in our agency, which aligns directly with our focus to increase diversity across the agency," Baltimore County Police Chief Melissa Hyatt said.

The 30x30 Initiative is due to launch officially on Thursday to honor and celebrate Women's History Month. Though on March 10, the Policing Project reported that 20 agencies already had taken the pledge, including major metro, mid-sized, rural, university and state policing agencies. The New York City Police Department, Metro Nashville Police Department, Metro Police Department of Houston and Vermont State Police are among those agencies already on board.

According to the Policing Project, women currently make up only 12 percent of sworn police officers and less than 3 percent of police leadership in the U.S., numbers which have remained stagnant for decades.

The Policing Project said social science research suggests the advancement of women officers is associated with improved outcomes for both policing agencies and the communities they serve. According to their research, women officers:

• Use less force and less excessive force
• Are named in fewer complaints and lawsuits
• Are perceived by communities as being more honest and compassionate
• See better outcomes for crime victims, especially in sexual assault cases
• Make fewer discretionary arrests, especially of non-white residents