Women urged to consider vacant police chief jobs
As police chief positions open up in the province’s two biggest cities, Alberta Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley is encouraging women to push for those leadership roles.
Speaking at the International Association of Women Police conference in Calgary, Ganley said women are still a minority when it comes to policing in Canada.
“According to Statistics Canada, 30 years ago four per cent of police officers in Canada were women,” said Ganley on Monday as she opened the conference.
“Today, that number is 21 per cent. Certainly an improvement but an indication there is still a considerable amount to do.
“Only 13 per cent of senior officers across Canada are women. That’s a number I believe that we can, and hopefully will, improve.”
The conference demonstrates to women in policing that those leadership roles are available, said Ganley.
“One of the most important things for women, particularly young women as they’re coming up, is they are able to see themselves reflected in positions of power,” said Ganley.
“We have delegates all over the world here, many who hold not just policing roles but more senior policing roles and so I think that’s really important to demonstrate to people that it is in fact possible.”
She’s also hoping women will step forward into the police chief positions that will soon be available in Calgary, Edmonton and K Division of the RCMP.
“None of those decisions are made specifically by me so they’ll be made by different instances by different people,” she said. “But certainly, I’m hoping to see more women to come into those roles.
“It’s a demonstration to young women that they should go into these careers because they can obtain high-level positions.
“For another thing, it enables them to think about what would make a service more welcoming to women like themselves and so they’re able to put in place policies that improve that and it also enables their male colleagues to see that they’re just as capable as performing those jobs.”
She added there are “undoubtedly ” many women who are qualified for those high-ranking leadership roles such as police chief.
“One of the most important things we can do as we move forward, not just in policing but in all leadership roles, (is) to acknowledge that we don’t see women in those leadership roles not because there are no qualified women, it’s because we haven’t taken the steps to allow those women to advance,” said Ganley.
Calgary Police Service has faced backlash in the past for its handling of bullying and harassment against women in the force, an issue that could potentially hinder women in advancing to roles of leadership.
However, Ganley said she knows the Calgary service is “committed to making progress on the issue” and that it is “definitely a first step to solving anything.”
In her speech, Ganley said women in leadership roles can help achieve a more diverse and equal workplace.
“Unfortunately, diverse workforces do not happen on their own. It happens when an organization actively fosters and promotes inclusion and ensure they impart those same values to each and everyone of their employees.
“It happens when people like you, here in this room, stand up and acknowledge there is a problem and work constantly to create change and do not accept less than fair and equal treatment.”
For former Olympic speedskater-turned-policewoman, Cindy Klassen, she could only speak to her own experience with Calgary police. “I’ve really found the experience to be great. I’ve found my teammates to be supportive, my sergeants to be supportive,” said Klassen.
“Personally, I don’t have anything to complain about and I think I’ve had that support and I hope that we continue to have that support going forward.”
She added it would be great to see more women striving for leadership roles as well.
“We need men and women in positions of leadership,” said Klassen. “Whether it’s chief or maybe deputy chief or inspector, things like that, I hope that women do feel prepared and want to take that step and have the courage to do that.”