The National Park Service (NPS) announced plans today to increase the number of female law enforcement positions. The initiative is part of the 30×30 pledge, which aims to increase the number of women in law enforcement nationwide.
The NPS wants 30% of their officers to be women by 2030. Currently, women represent only 16% of the entire NPS law enforcement workforce.
“Protecting the nation’s most precious resources, history and communities is a large undertaking that requires a skilled and diverse workforce,” said NPS Director Chuck Sams in a press release. “The most skilled workforce is one that has people from all walks of life, with different skills and different ideas. It is essential that we continue to grow a team that reflects the nation and communities we serve.”
This current plan isn’t the first time the National Park Service aimed to diversify its workforce. In 2021, the agency started a new hiring program to reduce barriers and increase diversity for law enforcement park rangers. The initiative appears to be working with an increase seen in the 2023 fiscal year. Of the 100 new officers hired, 25% were women, and a quarter were non-white.
The 30×30 pledge initiative says in 2021, only 12% of law enforcement officers across the U.S. were women. Studies show that female officers use less force and appear in fewer complaints and lawsuits. Some major police departments are also following the initiative, like New York City and Los Angeles.
