By Lynette Hart

Special to the Post

On Sept. 18 the 30X30 Initiative Women’s Law Enforcement Symposium & Career Fair was held in Oakland at the Uptown Building on Broadway.

This event was held to raise the educational level of Oakland residents about jobs in policing; more importantly it was to bring women into law enforcement careers, which is a nationwide endeavor. More than 300 people attended and dozens of law enforcement officers – both male and female – were on hand. Among them were Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell.

The 30×30 Initiative is a pledge that has been signed by hundreds of police departments across the country to bring the staffing levels of women at police departments to 30% by the year 2030. There were many non-law enforcement jobs featured as well. These positions were also promoted as great-paying jobs to help residents of Oakland.

Currently, women make up only 12% of sworn officers and 3% of police leadership in the U.S.

The 30×30 Initiative is a pledge many police departments locally and nationally have signed that they agree to have 30% of their Police Officers recruits be women by 2030.

Research shows women officers use less force and less excessive force; are named in fewer complaints and lawsuits; are perceived by communities as being more honest and compassionate; see better outcomes for crime victims, especially in sexual assault cases; and make fewer discretionary arrests.

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The 30×30 Initiative is a coalition of police leaders, researchers, and professional organizations who have joined together to advance the representation and experiences of women in policing agencies across the United States.

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