A Case Study of Minority Women in Policing

Despite a growing body of research addressing the ability of women and racial minorities to successfully perform the policing function, there have been virtually no studies dealing with the work experiences of non-white female officers. In this study we present evidence showing that under certain conditions the experiences of minority women within the Los Angeles Police Department resembles that of white women and that at other times it is similar to that of non-white men, but that in general the non-white women encounter a combination of both race and sex discrimination.