The Implications of Changing Education and Gender Inputs for Police Decision Making and Supervisory Roles

Abstract

This article reports the results of a survey of 43 Queensland police officers, half in supervisory roles and half immediately prior to induction. The purpose of the survey was to identify gender and educational differences between groups, and to identify any effect that these differences may have had on attitudes toward decision‐making within the sample. The results were compared to a similar survey of American police chiefs. Attitudes toward decision‐making were found to be similar among all groups with the exception of the perception of the ability to implement change. This was found to be significantly higher among women and those with a tertiary education. It was also suggested that female officers have the potential to excel in police managerial positions due to higher education levels, but they are currently seriously under‐represented in supervisory and managerial positions.