Women Police Get Together to Share Secrets of Success

Shirley Peters has done almost everything in her two decades as a police officer in a small city in Oregon, from interviewing young children who were victims of horrific sexual abuse to practicing community policing before it was a phrase.

But she came to Orange County this weekend to learn from the bigwigs how to get one thing she lacks after 22 years on the Medford force--a promotion.

Peters, 44, was among 400 women officers of every rank and stripe from across the U.S. who gathered at the Anaheim Sheraton for the annual conference of the National Center for Women and Policing.

“She’s an inspiration to me,” said Peters after listening to New York State Police Lt. Col. Debbie Campbell describe how she had set up a whole division devoted to equal-opportunity hiring and promotions. “What she’s set up would have been the answer to all my sorrows and complaints. I’ve been trying to hold my foot in the door for so long, and the door has just been slammed again and again. But I’m keeping it open.”

Peters is suing her police department after 10 years of putting up with rude jingles next to her name on sign-up sheets, and watching every man with whom she graduated from the police academy years ago become a police chief, lieutenant or other high-ranking official.

Many officers who have received promotions and assumed command jobs were on hand to share their experiences.

Orange County Sheriff’s Lt. Cathy Zuru, who oversees policing of all public transportation buses and facilities, shared laughs, reminiscences and tips with three friends at the conference--a major and a special agent from Florida, and a watch commander from Santa Monica.

“You don’t tell them you can type,” Zuru said.

“Or make coffee, or bake, or cook anything,” chimed in the other women, who between them oversee close to 300 officers, earn $65,000 to $89,000 a year and still walk into executive offices every week where they are the only woman present.

“It’s very lonely,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Joyce Dawley of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. “I always wear my uniform so they see my stripes and don’t assume I’m the secretary.”

Aside from the joy of meeting and talking with other “firsts”--first female officer in a department, first lieutenant, first chief--the attendees focus on discussing shared observations about their forms of policing, which they say differ from the traditional, punitive, top-down styles practiced by many men.

“They think we should be the same as they are,” said Maj. Patricia Schneider, 46, a 22-year veteran of the Miami Beach police force. “Well, women may be supervisors now, but we have a different way of exercising our authority.”

Sgt. Jacqueline Seabrook, 34, of the Santa Monica police, agreed.

“Women are more collaborative. The guys in charge will say, ‘I have an idea,’ and force it down, while a woman might sit down with everyone and ask for suggestions, see what people think before making a decision.”

For most at the conference, just the sight of 400 other women law enforcement officers who have walked the same beats, fought the same battles and made strides toward the top was reason enough to attend.

“It really gives me hope and strength that smaller cities like mine will catch up,” said Susan Campbell, also of Medford, who has been an officer there for 12 years. “They’re marking the landmarks, all these women. I’m totally motivated by them.”