Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com
Jodi Butts, a law enforcement officer since 1998, said the challenges facing women in the field are numerous.
Now a military police officer in the U.S. Army, Butts said women must work harder to be accepted.
As law enforcement officers we face a multitude of challenges every day. Whether it’s dealing with the problems of the public or justifying our actions to the brass, there’s always something we must overcome.
For the female LEO, these challenges can seem doubled. Let’s face it, some of our male counterparts look upon us as weak and not always up to the task. If a suspect is able to get the upper hand on a female officer, some may say it’s because she couldn’t handle the physical aspects of the job. If a woman sheds a tear in a particularly troubling or stressful moment or shows any act of overt kindness, these can be seen as weakness.
Despite the numerous gains women in policing have made, we still have to work twice as hard to earn the same respect because of the limitations placed upon us by some in the workplace and the general public.
