Examining the experiences of Canadian women police during Covid-19: a liminal space for cultural change

Abstract

For women police, Covid-19 has ushered in new challenges and concerns, both on the job and with their families. A growing body of international research underscores how the pandemic is exacerbating the inequalities that women have historically experienced at work and at home. In this chapter, we present findings from our online survey of 115 women police in Canada, nine months into the pandemic. Their perception is that although initially organisations were pro-active with safety precautions and family-friendly accommodations, these were increasingly being ‘clawed back’. Our analysis is that while Covid-19 provided a “liminal” space for the disruption of a masculine police culture, the changes that occurred were short-lived. We contend that, as Covid persists, the gains made around the retention and promotion of women police are further jeopardised. To foster an enduring culture of care, women must be ‘at the table’ when administrators are re(imagining) organisational practices for pandemic planning.