Attracting women: Agencies seek females for law enforcement careers

It didn’t take long for Fort Worth officer Lisa Ramsey to learn the name and assignment of each of the other female officers when she joined the department in 1995.

“There just wasn’t that many of us,” Ramsey said. “Now there’s enough of us where you may run across someone you’ve never met before.”

But in a department where women made up 14 percent of the police force as of March 2015, improvement is still needed, Ramsey said. Recruiting females, she said, is a nationwide struggle in a career long dominated by men.

“It’s hard to get the women in and let them see this is for everybody now,” Ramsey said. “It used to be about the biggest, strongest man you could find. Now law enforcement has evolved to the point where it doesn’t matter what size you are, what sex you are; it’s about using your head.”

On Saturday, the Fort Worth Police Department is hosting a Women in Law Enforcement Career Fair.

Recruiters from 17 other law enforcement agencies from across Dallas-Fort Worth will be on hand: Arlington, Bedford, Benbrook, Burleson, Colleyville, Crowley, Dallas County, DFW Airport Police, Euless, Garland, Haltom City, Hurst, North Richland Hills, River Oaks, Tarrant County, Tyler and Weatherford.

Representatives from Tarleton State University and Tarrant County College will also be available to talk about their criminal justice degree programs.

Ramsey said officers from various specialized units will conduct demonstrations during the fair. Guest speaker will be retired Fort Worth officer Dorcia Meador. Potential recruits are encouraged to bring gym attire for practice physical agility tests in the gym.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re single and choose to have a family later in your career, or you come here with a family already in place, if you’re a single parent, a wife or girlfriend,” Ramsey said. “There’s a place for all types of women now. You can have that law enforcement career and family.”

This story was originally published May 11, 2016 at 2:40 PM with the headline "Attracting women: Agencies seek females for law enforcement careers."