London Police vow to have female officers make up one third of its workforce by 2030

The London Police Service (LPS) will expand efforts to hire more females at all ranks as officials pledge to have women make up at least 30 per cent of its workforce by 2030.

The promise is part of the 30X30 initiative being taken by police forces across North America, seeking to increase female representation in policing over the next five years.

The organization will review its internal application process to better understand the barriers women face when applying for policing jobs and how they can be supported, while also creating an inclusive work environment for both sworn and civilian female members, said deputy chief Treena MacSween at a press conference on Monday.

"This initiative is not solely about recruitment, the 30X30 pledge is a comprehensive commitment that spans several key actions aimed at transforming our culture and strengthening the organization," she said.

"This is not about ticking boxes, it's about building meaningful, lasting representation. It's not about removing men, it's about building inclusive teams where everyone thrives and where our service better reflects the diverse community which we serve."

The 30X30 initiative stems from evidence-based research by the Policing Project at NYU School of Law and makes recommendations on how to advance the representation, experiences and well-being of women in policing agencies.

It uses critical mass theory which suggests that when individuals from underrepresented groups make up 30 per cent of a decision-making body at an organization, they can influence positive change to the institution's culture.

"Below that threshold, voices risk becoming tokenized or marginalized. For us at LPS, taking the pledge is not about achieving a number, it's about turning words into action," said MacSween.

MacSween noted 25 per cent of LPS' existing officers are women, making the police force rank second highest in Ontario for female representation. It's tied with Ottawa and lags behind Halton Regional Police Service's 26 per cent.

MacSween quoted research about women police officers being viewed as more honest and compassionate, leading to a reduction in use of force and over-policing in marginalized communities.

LPS will collect applicant data to determine where to focus outreach efforts that can attract more women into policing. It will also provide mentorship opportunities and events for women wanting to join the force, including practice fitness tests in a womens-only environment.

Chief Thai Truong said he's witnessed firsthand throughout his career that diverse teams are stronger, more innovative and responsive to a community's needs. He added that women bring different skills to the table, which can help strengthen investigative teams.

"Women are able to communicate and connect, they're able to understand sometimes a lot better than male counterparts and this is in general," Truong said, giving examples of cases involving sexual assaults, human trafficking, child abuse and intimate partner violence.

"Our frontline officers are dealing with the public every single day and you don't want every officer to be the same person, you want different perspectives to connect and respond to the community because our community is very different."

Megan Walker, the former head of London Abused Women's Centre, said she believes more women in the police will allow survivors of gender-based violence to feel more comfortable when reporting traumatic incidents to police.

"I know from my experience that women who have to disclose really difficult stories to male officers often will leave out details because they feel embarrassed. Being able to speak to a female officer, oftentimes makes a big difference in the trust that woman may have in the police," said Walker, who is also a member of the LPS board.

LPS will also gather feedback from its female members about how to improve supports such as child care and mental health for mothers. MacSween said she's determined to ensure other women who join LPS can feel supported and have more access to leadership opportunities.