Is a seat at the table sufficient? Specialized unit participation and perspectives of female law enforcement officers

Over the past few decades, the presence of women on specialized units has become more commonplace. Despite this, they are still under-represented, especially among traditionally male-dominated units. This exploratory study surveyed 76 female law enforcement officers to gauge the types of specialized units in which they participate and assess their perceptions about working in a male dominated field. Results indicated that while a large portion of the women in our sample were in specialized units, they were more likely to work in units that fit their gender stereotype. Further analyses revealed striking trends among those women more recently hired in terms of their perception about fitting in specialized units and the number and types of units in which they participate. Implications for law enforcement practitioners, suggestions to overcome continued gender inequality in specialized units and recommendations to expand this research are discussed.