Articles - Women in Law Enforcement

Officer Holly Mong had just gotten into the vehicle in her driveway and no sooner closed the driver's side door than it flew back open. She was being carjacked.

For decades female police officers received little respect from male cops. They were treated as "secretaries with badges." Today, only a knuckle-dragging caveman would believe that women don't have the courage and determination to be cops.

Maintaining a balance between one's identity as a woman and as a police officer is never going to be easy. Knowing this, Sgt. Stefani Gombar of the Phoenix PD cherishes one piece of advice she received in the academy from a female officer: "Don't lose yourself."

Tragically, the lives of many officers have been lost at the hands of suspects who attacked without warning as the officer attempted to apply handcuffs. Fortunately, there is a safer way to gauge a suspect's resistance while effectively controlling him.

It started with a gunfight. Almost 40 years ago a former Marine named Richard Davis was delivering a pizza in downtown Detroit when three men tried to rob him at gunpoint. As he recovered from his wounds, Davis realized the need for lightweight body armor that could be worn by law enforcement officers in the field.

From mats to padded gear to simulated weapons, safety begins with training using the right equipment.

Who becomes a cop? Who are the men and women that comprise the ranks of a profession where they can be killed for no reason other than the fact that they are cops?

You don't need to have majored in biology to know that men and women are not created equal—in measurements, that is. That's why female officers need ballistic vests made especially for their unique shapes. And now that women make up a more significant amount of the market share in law enforcement, body armor companies are taking notice.

Few artists have done more to change the way that cops are portrayed in popular culture than best-selling author Joseph Wambaugh. While Jack Webb's Joe Friday was all about the facts, ma'am, Wambaugh's cop characters were and are all about the heart and soul. They are human and their profession takes a toll on them as individuals.

I've taught forensic photography to police officers for more than 10 years, and I always start my presentations with the notion that good photographs start even before the camera is out of the bag. You have to have the proper mindset because images documenting injuries are some of the most important photos we take.