City Of Las Vegas Department Of Public Safety Pledges To Advance Women In Law Enforcement

National 30×30 Pledge Aims To Bring More Women Into Law Enforcement To Improve Public Safety, Community Outcome And Trust

The city of Las Vegas Department of Public Safety has signed on to the 30×30 Pledge – a series of low- and no-cost actions law enforcement agencies can take to improve the representation and experiences of women in law enforcement.

The activities help agencies assess the current state of a department with regard to gender equity, identify factors that may be driving any disparities and develop and implement strategies and solutions to eliminate barriers and advance women in law enforcement. These actions address recruitment, assessment, hiring, retention, promotion and agency culture.

The pledge is the foundational effort of the 30×30 Initiative – a coalition of law enforcement leaders, researchers, and professional organizations who have joined together to advance the representation and experiences of women in all ranks of law enforcement across the United States. The 30×30 Initiative is affiliated with the Policing Project at NYU School of Law and the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives.

The ultimate goal of the 30×30 Initiative is to reach 30 percent of women in law enforcement recruit classes by 2030, and to ensure policing agencies are truly representative of the jurisdiction the agency serves. While 30×30 is focused on advancing women in law enforcement, these principles are applicable to all demographic diversity, not just gender.

“It is truly an honor to be part of this impactful initiative,” said Louis Molina, chief of the city of Las Vegas Department of Public Safety. “Bringing more woman in to the law enforcement workforce will provide countless benefits and I am thrilled that we are one of the first agencies in the nation to make this long overdue critical commitment. I look forward to working and learning from agencies across the country who share our priority.”

More than 35 agencies – from major metro departments including the New York City Police Department, to mid-sized, rural, university and state policing agencies – have signed the 30×30 Pledge. The pledge is based on social science research that greater representation of women on police forces leads to better policing outcomes for communities.

Currently, women make up only 12 percent of sworn officers and three percent of police leadership in the United States.

Research suggests that female 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

“We are grateful to the city of Las Vegas Department of Public Safety for being one of the first in the nation to commit to being a part of this growing movement,” said Maureen McGough, co-founder of the 30×30 Initiative, chief of staff of the Policing Project at the New York University School of Law, and former policing expert at the U.S. Department of Justice. “We believe strongly that advancing women in policing is critical to improving public safety outcomes. We look forward to having more agencies follow city of Las Vegas Department of Public Safety lead by signing the pledge and improving the representation and experiences of women in policing.”

For more information, visit www.30x30initiative.org.