Two police sergeants, five officers, an animal control officer and a records clerk are the faces of the East Hartford Police Department being celebrated this Women’s Heritage Month.
It is through a special portrait project on social media.
“The background is simply to show that women hold a good role within policing. I feel as though women are necessary in this line of work,” Officer Stephanie Medina said.
Two faces behind the portraits: Officer Stephanie Aleman and Officer Stephanie Medina.
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“I am a hostage negotiator, and evidence tech, and I currently try to work the busiest beats,” Medina said.
The department came up with the idea of posting photos of its female officers, along with a personal story, on Facebook this month.
“I just thought it was a great way to kind of humanize our officers,” Aleman, one of the project organizers, said.
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Aleman and Medina each got into policing for very different reasons.
“I come from a family of first responders,” Aleman said. “I always kind of wanted to help the public in some way.”
“Family members have been and out of jail,” Medina said. “So I decided to be on the opposite of that to show that not all police officers are bad, and we all can come from different backgrounds.”
Now in their roles, they hope they can bring a unique skillset to any call.
“For me, it always has to do with the children and their smiles when they see us,” Aleman said. “The young woman, you know, it's just the way their face lights up when they see another female officer.”
It is a skillset the department wants more of, noting a lack of women in policing across the country.
“It's a good idea for police departments to seek out female officers who are willing to do the job. They have a lot to offer,” Officer Marc Caruso, public information officer, said.
In the U.S., women make up just 12% of police officers, and only 3% of police leadership roles, according to the national 30X30 Initiative.
The initiative also points to research showing that women officers use less force and excessive force, are named in fewer complaints and lawsuits and see better outcomes for crime victims, especially in sexual assault cases.
These are some of the reasons why the East Hartford Police Department launched a 30X30 goal of its own.
“We're hoping to have 30% of our female officers make up the total population by the year 2030,” Caruso said.
For the officers on the force now, working the patrol beat means serving as an inspiration.
“We do an awesome job, I'd like to see it get to a point to where we are half and half in this department,” Aleman said. “I'm proud to do this line of work. Because if it in any way I can make another female feel that she's capable of doing this line of work, or working in a male dominated field, then I'm all for that.”
