Women in policing: changing the organizational culture by adopting a feminist perspective on leadership

摘要

Issues of leadership identified in the current literature, with particular reference to leadership found in all organizations, are discussed in an attempt to identify aspects of classical leadership that may be of particular value within the police service. Historically little emphasis is placed upon the ethical parameters of policing thereby an organizational culture that has a hyper-masculine social structure to define their norms and that structure is often the catalyst for adverse experiences for female police officers. The police culture is often misogynist but the role of women is important in policing therefore the influence of feminist ethics and descriptors may offer an insight into changing an existing organizational culture as well as providing a feminist perspective on leadership. This is important now that many females are assuming leadership roles within the police service.