REGINA – Staff Sgt. Lorille Davies has certainly noticed a difference within the Regina Police Service since she first became a member 18 years ago.
“Nowadays it’s common place to a see a woman in uniform,” she said. “I think back 30 or 40 years ago it wasn’t so much, but I think we’ve made a lot of strides.”
According to an annual employment equity plan progress report, in 1992 four per cent of women made up the service and that number is now closer to 25 percent.
However, the growth has been stagnant in recent years and falls short of the 46 per cent goal laid out by the Saskatchewan Human Rights Council to ensure women are properly represented.
“Onsite daycare may be the solution, changing the nature of the work schedule at the police force, accommodating woman who decide to have children. Changes like that would be helpful,” said Sean Tucker, a human resources professor at the University of Regina.
While not reported as a problem with the RPS, there’s evidence male dominated workplaces can foster a culture that’s toxic to women.
“We see woman who are a minority in those work places become targets of harassment and sexual harassment,” adds Tucker.
According to the report, the percentage of aboriginals within the RPS has also grown from three percent in 1992 to just under 10 percent last year.
However, that doesn’t meet the 14 per cent goal.
“There are many historic reasons that First Nation and Métis communities would have trust issues with police services,” explains Erica Beaudin with Regina Treaty Status Indian Services. “But I have been seeing over the last 10 to 12 years a real concentration on addressing the issue of trust.”
The RPS has a specialized unit focused on cultural and community diversity. Still, other groups like people with disabilities and visual minorities are also under represented.
Tucker argues drastic changes are critical.
“You’re going to see stronger and louder calls for mandatory targets of representation and it won’t be voluntary anymore, they’ll actually have to confirm there will be consequences for it,” he said.
The report will be presented at the Board of Police Commissioners’ meeting Wednesday morning.
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