Wanted : Female police officers
I went to the police station today to seek advice (sorry, not at a liberty to say for what and for whom). This is a small story about my experience.
I went during lunch hour. Even though there were only 2 police officers on duty, there was no crowd and I did not have to wait. I sat down on one side of the counter. The other police officer was attending to someone else seated on the other side — 1 meter away. I could hear what they were saying. I felt uncomfortable having to talk about my case out in the open — there was no privacy or confidentiality at all.
The officer attending to me was very nice and helpful, within the constraints of what he could do. I told him I was seeking advice as I didn’t know whether this case was reportable and under what charges. I also told him that I was uncomfortable going into detail at this early stage — and in such an open space. He was very understanding, and asked the appropriate questions for him to know how to help, while giving me sufficient space and respect. Then he advised me to lodge a report formally, and under what charges.
He asked if I would feel more comfortable speaking to a female officer. I was quite impressed that he made such a suggestion, without me having to bring that request up. When I said that I would prefer a female officer, he picked up the phone to call for one. I think he made at least 10 phone calls. And still couldn’t find an available female officer — they were all either on call, or off duty.
He was most apologetic, and explained that he had tried calling 2 divisions and still could not locate a female officer. He asked if I wanted to lodge a report online. I offered to come back on Monday, because given the complexities of the case, I wanted to have the advice and assistance of an officer.
He then said that the system was such that he wouldn’t be on duty on Monday, and didn’t know which female office would be on duty and would be able to attend to me. In another words, I couldn’t make an appointment. He said the best thing for me to do was to lodge a report online, specifying that I wished to speak to a female officer, and then wait for this officer to liase with me. I thanked him and left.
And went to my computer to write this post = )
I wonder how they would have handled an emergency case. Mine wasn’t.
It’s fair to accuse me of working from the ivory tower thus far. Most of my experience come from research, or from the stories of my social worker , cousellor, and advocacy work friends. Apart from my own life experiences, I have very little experience of actually going through the system.
So it was a learning experience for me today. I’m quite sure those of you who unfortunately have had to go these experiences, whether for yourself, your loved one, or your client, might find it familiar. I’ve certainly heard stories before. So I’m just sharing my experience.
If you’ll like to share your experience, you are very welcomed to put them in the comments. Hopefully if more people spoke up, there would be sufficient pressure and motivation for the different public entities in our country to make improvements. I think over the decades, we’ve come very far. But there’s always going to be room for improvement, which depends on everyone’s contributions — through suggestions and feedback, or through doing the hardwork of making the improvements happen. Which may be a good thing — allows people to keep their jobs and not get retrenched.
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That very afternoon a female officer contacts me, much sooner than expected. When I went to the station to meet her, she was very helpful and professional. This was despite being swamped with cases and a never ending stream of incomming calls. I think her offers to help went beyond the basic call of duty. We do have good people around = ) We just need more of them. Many more.
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For more reading, refer to:
Sexual Assault Training of Law Enforcement Officers
Results of a Statewide Survey
Authors: Linda M. Kinney ab; Eric J. Bruns bc; Patrick Bradley d; Joyce Dantzler e; Mark D. Weist
For more reading, refer to:
Sexual Assault Training of Law Enforcement Officers
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I hope you’re okay and able to overcome whatever and whoever is troubling you.
2 years ago, I had to go to the police station to report a loan shark harassing one of my neighbors. They vandalised the lifts and balcony area and I got really fed up. When I spoke to the police, they were very sympathetic but ‘hinted’ that such cases are so numerous, they can’t station an officer there to catch these people committing the act. They were very professional but it didn’t solve my problem.
[...] Life, the universe and everything – Mathia Lee: Wanted : Female police officers [...]
“They were very professional but it didn’t solve my problem.”
Translation: highly paid bunch of clowns briefed to look and talk smart but can’t solve real world issues. Faced with a real problem, they’ll claim “non-seizable offence”, and hurry back to the comfort of their airconditioned police post.
Hey not very world class leh.
Imagine a woman under duress due to harassment or abuse – they can even find a woman officer to talk to and cannot even work an appointment. So what is the police good for? Catching litterbugs? Cases which are best handled by female officers must be routine by now yet there is no process in place handle it. That is a disappointment.
Mathia, maybe you should the law into your own hands like get a few muscular friends and give the troublemaker big scare.
I must say I am very disappointed in you, Mathia.
You reveal the hollowness of your agenda with this post.
All along you were proclaiming that women can do a job as well as men, and that sexism should not exist, gender discrimination is passe. But look at it now, you are claiming that a woman police officer is superior in this case. Why? Just because she’s a woman? Please explain your sexism. What can a male police officer assist you with that a female police officer cannot. Short of engaging in an illicit and illegal heterosexual affair with you, I don’t see how a male police officer is any inferior to a female police officer.
Explain yourself.
The same thing goes for all your talk about violence toward women.
What about brutality like this?
Woman beats up man in Singapore
“Maybe he cheated on her.”
So, if a woman cheated on a man, it is ok for the man to punch her between the legs?
David:
Man ego acting up? Unable to take it that a woman officer can perform as well or even better?
Which in any case, Mathia never said the woman police officer is superior in this case. If anything, she was also giving the MALE officer her applauds. In fact, what she was saying (IMO) was that she felt more comfortable talking to a woman officer about the case. There are matters, whereby guys will only want to talk to guys about, and vice versa.
What’s wrong with that?
Please explain your sexism.
David,
Being different has nothing to do being superior. You got the 2 things mixed up. In Mathia’s case, it was more appropriate to speak to a woman – thats all. I don’t understand how you can drag that “woman beat man” case into this. It is not okay for a woman to murder a man and vice-versa.
[...] myself” given that I’ve been campaigning for anti-domestic violence, and anti-marital rape. ( http://mathialee.wordpress.com/2009/08/28/wanted-female-police-officers/#comment-1876 ) ( The video clip: Woman beats up man in [...]
Hi David
Thanks for asking these questions and giving me the opportunity to explain. I’m glad that, unlike many people who hold deep prejudices without bothering to question or consider the alternative explanations, you have decided to do otherwise, and demand an explanation. I hope more people learn from your example.
Because I think your questions are important, and because I suspect there are others who wonder the same thing, I’ve decided to address the issue in the video clip in a blog post of its own:
http://mathialee.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/when-a-woman-is-violent-towards-a-male/
On the issue of female police officers — this has nothing to do with gender equality or men being as good as women. For the sake of comfort and modesty, many females prefer to speak with another female where the crime has a sexual aspect, and many male officers also prefer not to work with female complainants on such cases.
The same applies in other professions as well. Would you say gender discrimination is involved if your wife, mother or daughter asks for a female nurse to assist her to use the toilet , when such a need arises in the hospital setting?
For more reading, refer to:
Sexual Assault Training of Law Enforcement Officers
Results of a Statewide Survey
Authors: Linda M. Kinney ab; Eric J. Bruns bc; Patrick Bradley d; Joyce Dantzler e; Mark D. Weist f
For article Pdf:
http://mathialee.wordpress.com/2009/08/28/wanted-female-police-officers/women-law-enforcement/
[...] Fountain Pen: Safra Bay Run & Army Half Marathon 2009 (3 of 3) [Thanks Major] – Mathia Lee: Wanted : Female police officers – Ramblings of DarkMirage: Anime Festival Asia 09 – Press Conference – The FØØL’s [...]
“For the sake of comfort and modesty…”
-> This is gender discrimination.
“…if your wife, mother or daughter asks for a female nurse to assist her to use the toilet…”
-> This is gender discrimination too.
Because male and female are different. And how do you define different? Through discrimination.
Do you define discrimination in the negative sense? Discrimination can also mean “neutral discernment” or “recognize or perceive the difference”.
Probably there are not enough female police officers because women (in general) already discriminate (in the negative sense) themselves internally and decide not to join the police force.
It is the same with nurses. How often do you see a male nurse?
Discrimination is hard-wired in our genes. It’s been around thousands of years ago, it is still around today.
We should focus instead on practical/realistic/workable gender neutrality.
It seems there is a shortage of police officers (male and female). Would any of you here join the police force? Would any of you here leave your comfortable desk job, where you can type blog entries and check your FB account every now and then, and take the risks of being a police officer?
If not, how would you expect the police force to have sufficient manpower to solve every one of your complains in a manner most satisfactory to you?