The Debate over Female Cops
Estonia has highest ratio of female cops in Europe. Is this good?
State Defense Academy Director Juhan Kubu said the increase in women on the police force shows Estonian women are strong and smart, but may also create problems. “If at night, two small women are on street patrol, it creates the feeling of danger rather than safety.” Estonia’s chief cop, Raivo Aeg, disagrees. “The share of female police officers grows in most European states and no one has so far seen it as a danger.” He said that in Scandinavian states, for example, a target has been set for women to form at least 40% of police staff.
The proportion of women working in EstoniaÂ’s police force is the highest among European countries. Female officers comprise 10-20 percent of the average European police force. EstoniaÂ’s force is 33 percent female.
Readers should not be too quick to conclude Estonia is an equal-opportunity country: trade unions believe the high percentage of female cops is due to low wages of police officers—men are not motivated to work for such low salaries. Experts say that if the current trend continues, more than half the police force will be female by year 2021.
State Defense Academy Director Juhan Kubu said the increase in women on the police force shows Estonian women are strong and smart, but may also create problems. “If at night, two small women are on street patrol, it creates the feeling of danger rather than safety.” Estonia’s chief cop, Raivo Aeg, disagrees. “The share of female police officers grows in most European states and no one has so far seen it as a danger.” He said that in Scandinavian states, for example, a target has been set for women to form at least 40% of police staff.