NEW ZEALAND: Top judge asks why so few women make top cops

DISCRIMINATION

Questions need to be answered over why women are not advancing to senior police positions, the head of the Independent Police Conduct Authority, Justice Lowell Goddard, says.

She raised the questions in a speech at the University of Auckland.

"Given the contribution that women can make and the balance and the appearance of normality at their presence beings to the law: Why are the women not coming through in greater numbers to senior positions? What is happening to them? Why is the organisation not conducive to retaining their services and why is there such a rate of attrition?"

She said it was vitally important the "proper advancement in promotion of women in the legal profession and in policing be ensured on an equal basis.'' Women had the expectation they would be treated equally and on merit and that gender was not an issue.

"The role of women in the legal profession, or in other areas of legal endeavour is directly reflective of the role of women in society: to provide balance through the female perspective."

She said the issue of women in the police was similar to that of women in the legal profession, although there were differences.

"I think that the role of women in law enforcement is probably a much harder row to hoe than the role of women in legal practice, simply because of the exceptionally difficult and dangerous nature of some of the work, coupled with old-fashioned perceptions of the need to protect women from such matters and also the misconception that equal physical strength with the male counterpart is necessary," Justice Goddard said.
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