Gender at the police education

More men than women attend the police education and the police is considered one of the most masculine coded professions. In Sweden the number of female police students is increasing and gender equality within the work force is an outspoken goal by the police authorities. Gender relations in the police education are therefore of importance to examine. The first aim of this study is to investigate measurable gender differences in achievements during the education. The second aim is to analyze opinions regarding men’s and women’s terms and prerequisites throughout the education. Do students and teachers consider the police education to be equal? The study has a mixed method design. The quantitative part consists of data about the students’ study results compared between the sexes. The qualitative part is based on interviews with students and teachers regarding their subjective opinions and experiences of equality in the police education. The results from the quantitative part indicate differences in performances between female and male students in traditional police subjects such as weapon training, where female students more frequently are disapproved. In the interviews, male students often explain these differences as connected to female student's own doubts in themselves. This explanation also occurs in interviews with female students. However, actual concrete experiences of being treated differently by male students and teachers within the police program are striking in the material. This clearly affects female students in negative ways. Cecilia Jonsson, PhD and senior lecturer, Center for Police Research and Development Department of Police Work, Linnaeus University, Växjö Sweden

Marsanna Petersen, research assistant, Center for Police Research and Development Department of Police Work, Linnaeus University, Växjö Sweden