Reflections of African-American women on their careers in urban policing. Their experiences of racial and sexual discrimination

This article examines tile social organizational relationships and interact ions that Position African-American policewomen as outsiders within their o wn department. Their exclusion arises not only from dominant white males l, ut from other subordinated groups such as white female and black male offic ers. Tile authors found persistent and pervasive patterns of sexual and rac ial discrimination. This qualitative research is based oil data obtained fr om a population of all 21 black female police officers in a large urban cit y The work experiences of black women in policing highlight several problem atic areas. These women often experience Sender discrimination related to p rofessional abilities, job performance, and supervisory responsibilities. T hey experience racism in the form of derogatory remarks, and in tile areas of hiring and promotion. Their marginality based on gender and I-ace also i s readily apparent in relationships among officers.