The Hamilton Police Service (HPS) announced at the Feb. 19 police board meeting that Chief Frank Bergen recently signed a pledge to progress toward 30 per cent representation of women in the force.
At the board meeting, Staff Sergeant Sara Beck, Chair of the HPS Women’s Internal Support Network, gave a presentation explaining that Bergen committed the police service to an initiative called 30Forward.
According to the 30Forward website, the initiative “invites police leaders to make clear, measurable commitments to support women throughout their careers in policing.”
They say that “progress continues,” but that “women remain underrepresented, particularly in leadership roles.”
The organization also says that research “consistently shows that greater representation of women strengthens community relationships, builds public trust, and contributes to more effective policing.”
Beck explained to board members that current barriers include recruitment challenges, workplace culture, work-life balance, and a lack of mentorship opportunities, all of which 30Forward seeks to address.
30Forward is guided by a concept called critical mass theory, which suggests that a “critical mass” of at least 30 per cent is needed for a minority to have an impact.
HPS currently has 232 female sworn members (24.81 per cent) and 703 male sworn members (75.19 per cent).
The presentation also noted that, out of the top three ranks (Chief of Police, Deputy Chief, and Superintendent), one of the 10 positions is held by a woman.
However, Beck said, “The more women we have in our lower ranks is going to be the feeder pool that leads up the chain of command.”
“We want to see that expansion, and certainly one of the main pillars we’re focusing on is recruitment. Ultimately, over time, that should lead to filtering up throughout the organization.”
Beck said that women are less likely to rely on force and, when necessary, do so in a “more proportionate manner” and that they “see better outcomes for crime victims, especially in cases of sexual violence.”
She added that they are also perceived as being “more honest and compassionate” and appear less frequently in complaints and civil actions.
The five “pillars to success” for the initiative are recruitment and hiring, mentorship and leadership development, allyship and inclusive culture, retention and family support, and policy.
30Forward was reportedly inspired by the American 30×30 Initiative, which aims for women to comprise 30 per cent of recruits to police services by 2030.
However, Beck noted that there is “no prescribed timeline” for HPS achieving the 30 per cent level of representation.
“Participating organizations commit through formal pledges to sustained and meaningful progress,” reads her presentation.
The 30Forward initiative also has a national mentorship network and a “growing resource hub” for women in policing, bringing together officers, civilian professionals, allies, and academic partners.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
