Gender bias not tolerated by police

Re: Lawyer dubs police ‘old boys’club,’ by Sarah Sacheli, Aug. 15.

As a current member of the Windsor Police Services Board, I was disappointed to read this story.

The suggestion that Windsor police officers are being barred from climbing the corporate ladder due to their gender simply added insult to injury.

Having worked closely with the chief of police, deputy chiefs and senior management for over two years, I have been consistently impressed with the sincere desire for diversity displayed and promoted by these individuals.

The male members of the senior management team that I interact with (including the chief and deputies) not only respect female officers and colleagues, but in countless cases praise their skill set and abilities with pride and deference.

The Windsor Police Service includes female members of all ranks, including sergeant, staff sergeant, inspector and deputy chief.

In 2018, we unanimously promoted the first female deputy chief in the service’s 150-year history.

This article diminishes the efforts and dedication of the women who have successfully achieved senior ranks within the service. It certainly does nothing to entice those women seeking to join the service or participate in its promotional process. It is simply an allegation fuelled communication intended to stir emotions in the court of public opinion. It is not a reflection of current reality, and it is not a healthy influence in the arena of gender diversity.

Both my fellow board member Coun. Jo-Anne Gignac and I are outspoken, strongminded, female professionals who have worked in varying industries and institutions. The thought that either one of us would tolerate, support or submit to behaviours of a female-suppressing or gender-biased nature is outlandish at best. If organizational foundations are built and sustained by the tone at the top, this female board member is confident that the tone of the Windsor Police Service resonates with an appetite for diversity of all types, including gender; and that there are no barriers to entry for women other than those that exist equally for their male counterparts.

Sophia Chisholm, Windsor