From Solitude to Solidarity: Exploring Mentorship as a Remedy for Workplace Isolation Among Women in Law Enforcement

In the male-dominated field of law enforcement, where women make up only 13.3% of officers, limited representation poses challenges. It can lead to workplace isolation, driven by the experience of being a minority in the workplace. Additionally, the prevailing culture in police departments, which highly values masculine attributes, can further isolate women due to their deviation from the established norm. Workplace isolation poses a significant barrier to women in law enforcement, as it has the potential to hinder their career advancement and well-being. While past research has acknowledged workplace isolation as one of the many challenges plaguing women in law enforcement today, effective strategies to address gender-based workplace isolation remain understudied. This study aims to bridge this gap by exploring the factors contributing to isolation, analyzing coping strategies, and proposing solutions. To accomplish this, a survey was administered to ninety-one female law enforcement officers in major U.S. cities, and qualitative data was analyzed using values coding to identify shared values, attitudes, and beliefs among the participants. Findings revealed that those with female mentors felt less isolated, valuing the mentorship experience as a platform to discuss gender-related challenges openly. Most participants recognized the advantages of same-gender mentorship, with many expressing a perceived shortage of such opportunities in the law enforcement field. Consequently, a hypothetical mentorship program is proposed within this study, aiming to counter isolation by leveraging mentorship by women for women as a practical solution. This study illuminates the pervasive issue of gender-related workplace isolation in law enforcement, offering insights into its causes and the coping strategies used to address it. The significance of this study’s findings lies in their potential to transform the landscape of law enforcement by informing strategies for addressing the systemic challenges that hinder the progression and overall wellbeing of women in the field