Men, Women, and Police Excessive Force: A Tale of Two Genders

Women officers are substantially less likely than their male counterparts to be involved in problems of excessive force. Whether citizen complaints، sustained allegations، or civil liability payouts are used as the measure، women officers are dramatically under-represented in excessive force incidents. The Data، illuminate the differences in the way in which men and women perform their policing duties، and highlight the importance of hiring more women as a strategy to reduce problems with excessive force. The costs of police brutality are high، both in financial and in human terms. By better understanding the gender dimensions of excessive force، police executives and community leaders can strive toward hiring more women officers who will be less likely to engage in brutality.