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Police Quarterly
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Violence Against Police Officers

Are Female Officers at Greater Risk?

Cara E. Rabe-Hemp

Illinois State University, Normal

Amie M. Schuck

University of Illinois at Chicago

Violence against officers is an important topic not only because of the negative consequences to the officer but also because it is at the core of one of the most debated issues regarding female officers—their ability to deal with hostile citizens. Using arrest data from several metropolitan departments, the research compared gender differences in assaults on officers, as well as situational and individual officer factors related to the assaults. The findings suggest that when compared to male officers, female officers are at an increased risk for being assaulted in family conflict situations. Furthermore, the results suggest that female officers are at the greatest risk of being assaulted in family conflict situations when the assailant is impaired. More research is needed to better understand why family conflict situations and intoxicated assailants are especially dangerous for female officers and what policies can be instituted to mitigate this potentially threatening situation.

Key Words: assaults • domestic violence • gender • police victimization • policing

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Police Quarterly, Vol. 10, No. 4, 411-428 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1098611107304326
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