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Making Rank

The Lingering Effects of Tokenism on Female Police Officers' Promotion Aspirations

North Dakota State University, carol.archbold{at}ndsu.edu

Dorothy Moses Schulz

John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY)

This article expands on the discussion of female police officers' response to tokenism in the workplace, as well as how perceived token status affects female police officers' decisions to participate in promotion. Using structured, face-to-face interviews with female police officers in a large Midwestern police agency, the current study produced some research findings that contrast with Kanter's original description of tokenism. This study found that most female police officers were strongly encouraged by their male supervisors to participate in the promotion process. This encouragement by male police supervisors actually dissuaded some of the female officers from participating in the promotion process. These findings suggest that tokenism in the workplace is more complex than focusing solely on the numerical representation of women in traditionally male-dominated professions.

Key Words: female police officers • tokenism • promotion • advancement

Police Quarterly, Vol. 11, No. 1, 50-73 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1098611107309628


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