About 30×30

Women make up less than 14% of sworn officers and 20% of recruits in state and local law enforcement agencies.

The under-representation of women in policing undermines public safety. Research shows 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; and make fewer discretionary arrests for non-violent misdemeanors.

The 30×30 Initiative is a coalition of police leaders, researchers, and professional organizations who have joined together to support and advance the representation,  experiences, and well-being of women in policing agencies across the United States and beyond.

Women have been significantly under-represented in policing since the profession’s founding. Various efforts across the country—such as the groundbreaking work of the National Center for Women and Policing—have significantly advanced women and built a foundation of research and evidence. But we still have a very long way to go. 

In 2018, Chief Ivonne Roman (ret.) of the Newark Police Department approached Maureen McGough at the National Institute of Justice, the research and development agency of the U.S. Department of Justice, about a critical issue: the chronic under-representation of women in U.S. policing and its dire implications for broader public safety. Roman and NIJ staff led by McGough hosted a national research summit on women in policing, bringing together over 100 women representing law enforcement leadership, researchers, and professional organizations. The report from that summit guides our work today.   

The 30×30 Initiative is based on evidence indicating the importance of achieving at least 30% representation to empower a group to influence an organization’s culture. This 30% threshold is where change begins to happen, but it is not our end goal. 30×30 is working with policing agencies to improve recruiting practices and establish community partnerships so that agencies become truly representative of the jurisdictions they serve. While 30×30 is focused on advancing and supporting women in policing, these principles apply to all demographic diversity, not just gender.

In signing onto the 30×30 pledge, policing agencies agree to report on their efforts to identify and address the obstacles that women officers face in recruitment and throughout their careers. 

The 30×30 pledge is a flexible framework that encourages agencies to share their stumbling blocks while also celebrating their victories. A key goal of the progress reports is to help foster knowledge sharing throughout the 30×30 network and beyond. From these reports, participating agencies will share promising practices, learn from one another, and develop programs and initiatives to address barriers to women’s advancement.