Volume 5 | Issue 2 | 2018 | ISSN: 2203-4552

Public Safety Leadership: Research Focus

Diversity and inclusion in Australian policing: Where are we at and where should we go?

Author Dr Abby McLeod

While the promotion of women in policing has long been on the international agenda, in the Australian context a significant increase in attention to women in policing has occurred in recent years, framed largely in terms of the business benefits commonly associated with organisational diversity. Notably, major independent reviews of organisational culture and sex discrimination have been commissioned by , the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and South Police, and a number of jurisdictions have announced 50/50 male-female recruitment targets. These initiatives have been simultaneously welcomed and resisted by both men and women (sworn and unsworn), raising a range of questions about how best to promote gender equality in our nation’s policing institutions.

The ongoing existence of gender hostility in general community) (Elizabeth Broderick and Co., policing organisations validates the current 2016; VEOHRC, 2015). This makes it difficult focus on women in policing. Women are for them to contribute their diverse talents underrepresented in policing, particularly and skills, which ultimately disadvantages the in senior management, and they suffer overt contemporary organisation striving to innovate discrimination and higher than average rates and operate in today’s VUCA (volatile, uncertain, of sexual harassment (when compared to the complex and ambiguous) environment.

1 Research Focus: Diversity and inclusion in Australian policing aipm.gov.au Against this backdrop, there is growing Talking about gender, or diversity? recognition that gender diversity alone The workshop explored current efforts is not the only way to bring about the to promote diversity and inclusion in increased variety in thinking associated Australian policing, which are overwhelmingly with “operational effectiveness” that focussed upon gender equality, in large our organisations are seeking. As such part as a result of reviews commissioned while targets and other measures of by , the AFP and South improved demographic diversity continue Australia Police. Both the Independent review into to be important, Australian policing sex discrimination and sexual harassment, including organisations are increasingly aware that it predatory behaviour, in Victoria Police, undertaken is inclusion rather than diversity which will by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human bring about the positive outcomes hoped for, Rights Commission (VEOHRC, 2015), and the such as increased creativity and innovation, Independent Review Into Sex Discrimination, improved productivity and increased employee Sexual Harassment and Predatory Behaviour satisfaction (see for example McLeod and in Police, undertaken by the Herrington, 2017; Workman-Stark, 2017). Equal Opportunity Commission of South Australia Reflecting this shift and to explore these (EOC, 2016), had a more specific focus upon sex complexities, and capture the current discrimination and harassment than Culture Australian state of play, in February 2017 Change: Gender Diversity and Inclusion in the the Australian Institute of Police Management Australia Federal Police, undertaken by former (AIPM) hosted a workshop, Building Inclusive Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner Police Organisations. Here we draw together Elizabeth Broderick (Elizabeth Broderick discussions that occurred on the day, & Co., 2016). Yet the findings of the three reviews the challenges faced by organisations and were remarkably similar, each identifying their staff, and signpost some future directions a range of issues relating to structure, for the profession. agency and culture, as depicted below.

The Workshop Comparative Review Findings Building Inclusive Police Organisations aimed to facilitate discussion about diversity Culture and inclusion amongst law enforcement • Closed system and emergency services personnel, • Hierarchical with a view to building a collective power structure understanding of what does and does not • Hegemonic masculinity work to promote diversity and inclusion. Attendees included 34 representatives from: Structure Agency the AFP; New South Wales Police Force; • Hard to recruit women • Strong unconscious bias Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services; Queensland Police Service; • Inequitable promotion • Higher than average rates of ; Victoria Police; • Harder to retain women sexual harassment (AFP & Vic Pol) Police; Border Force; • Low rates of • Higher than average rates Australasian Fire and Emergency Services flexible work of predatory behaviour • Uneven policy implementation Authorities Council (AFAC); the Australian • Low trust in • Leaders don’t “walk the talk” Commission for Law Enforcement complaints mechanisms Integrity (ACLEI); the AIPM; and, the Royal • Low rates of bystander intervetion Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

Keynote speakers on the day included As highlighted in the above figure, the reviews Deputy Commissioner Wendy Steendam demonstrate the similarity of the cultural (Victoria Police), challenges confronting women working in Ray Johnson (the Australian Federal Police), different Australian policing organisations. and Assistant Commissioner Carleen York Each of the reviews tells a worrying story (New South Wales Police Force), all of about strongly hegemonic male workplaces, whom have significant responsibilities in which hyper-masculine norms prevail to for the promotion of diversity and inclusion the detriment of those who do not comply, in their organisations. The workshop was women and men alike. They paint a picture of facilitated by visiting scholar Dr Angela resistance to change and the pressure to “fit in” Workman-Stark, who has a unique combination in order to “make it”, demonstrating a clear of 24 years policing experience with the disconnect between the type of organisational RCMP and academic expertise in diversity culture contemporary policing leaders publicly and inclusion, and the AIPM’s Visiting aspire to, and that which prevails. Across each Research Fellow, Dr Abby McLeod. of the jurisdictions, systemic structural discrimination against women at all major career gateways was identified, against a backdrop 2 of broad tolerance for sexist attitudes and behaviours which are unacceptable at best, Research Focus: Diversity and inclusion and criminal at worst. in Australian policing aipm.gov.au In response to review findings, each of The challenges facing organisations were the jurisdictions is implementing a raft also explored. In addition to a lack of of recommendations, commonly including: “what works” evidence, participants noted: leadership training; improved complaints • the absence of effective communication about, mechanisms to promote increased reporting and workforce understanding of, the “case of sexual harassment; flexible work by default; for change”, including an overemphasis to and, quotas for female recruitment, access to date upon the “business case” for change, development opportunities and promotion at the expense of broader social arguments (the latter of which was proposed by the for change; majority of jurisdictions prior to the release of • inadequate engagement with resistance their reviews) (Broderick & Co., 2016; EOC, 2016; and fear; VEOHRC, 2015). The workshop noted that implementation was proving challenging to all. • the existence of low trust organisational environments, characterised by continuing Participants discussed the challenge of employee mistrust of existing systems promoting gender equality, and more broadly of and processes (complaint management, enacting a diversity and inclusion agenda, in the transfers, promotions etc.); continued absence of a sound “what works” • the comparatively limited attention evidence base to guide organisational efforts. being given to retention, as opposed The need for improved monitoring and to recruitment; and, evaluation of existing efforts and increased knowledge sharing across the jurisdictions • the limited utility of single-lens approaches was underscored. (e.g. gender) to diversity and inclusion. Despite this, participants explored how Dr Workman-Stark expanded this discussion policing in Australia was well placed to by flagging the need for fundamental cultural make a difference. Participants noted that: change that is meticulously planned, grounded • the courage demonstrated by the Victoria in solid analysis and strategically communicated. Police, AFP and South Australia Police Drawing upon her experience of promoting Commissioners in opening their organisations cultural change in the RCMP, she spoke of to external review has sparked public the need to balance short-term strategies attention to gender inequality in organisations (such as the establishment of gender targets) and has heightened awareness of the need with deeper efforts to understand and for organisational scrutiny and transparency; change the “masculine script” so as to shift the • the “can do approach” of police lends itself ways in which we think about and do policing, to the pursuit of tangible results; and those whom we reward. Drawing upon Yoshino’s (2007) concept of “covering”, • the establishment of recruitment targets she urged for a broader conversation about has forced agencies to consider bias in their identity in the workplace, suggesting that selection processes and actively address it, a useful measure of inclusion might be the including by considering the inherent degree to which employees feel they need to requirements of the job and removing hide or obscure specific aspects of their identity entry requirements that are unnecessary in order to “fit in”, be accepted and gain access (e.g. certain physical competencies); to opportunities. • a number of agencies have strong research partnerships dedicated to development Moving to inclusion of evidence on key policy matters; and, In establishing the distinction between diversity • multiple male champions — who outwardly (the mix) and inclusion (making the mix work), conform to dominant police images a number of strategies were explored: of masculinity — are positively influencing change in their organisations. • structural interventions designed to promote fairness for all (not just women); • clear messaging about why change Gender diversity alone is not the only is necessary and how it will happen; way to bring about increased variety in thinking • increasing opportunities for employee voice; • establishing a learning orientation within the environment and enabling the expression of individuality from the outset; • ensuring that competence is defined in terms of task requirements; • rewarding learning and expressions of vulnerability; and, • ensuring that leaders examine their own biases. 3 Research Focus: Diversity and inclusion in Australian policing aipm.gov.au Acknowledging the challenges associated with implementation of these strategies, ...the need for fundamental cultural Dr Workman-Stark outlined an change that is meticulously planned, “inclusion continuum” along which grounded in solid analysis and organisations fall, the majority of policing strategically communicated organisations typically falling between the compliant and proactive stages.

The inclusion continuum

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Executive Passive Compliant Proactive Redefining Inclusive Committed Included Included a few Makes an Expands Included to dominant others only members of effort to traditional values and group values; if they fit in ‘other’ groups include people definitions is fair to excludes others with dominant but without from diverse of diversity; all people group norms making major groups; examines changes differences barriers to are tolerated inclusion but not Adapted from Holvino (2014) embraced

Agreeing that Australian policing organisations Participants also discussed their own are largely at the complaint — proactive stage, obligations and the commitments that participants discussed key steps that individual leaders and officers needed to make Australian organisations could take or in order to develop inclusive organisations. were currently taking, to progress along These included: the continuum, including: • redefining leadership so that inclusive • exploring blind recruitment, which for some leadership practices are rewarded; organisations has led to the selection of • developing a better understanding of higher rates of women; the needs of millennials so that they • increasing communication about change are fully engaged in the workforce; and its rationale; • examining the profile and • avoiding the urge to “rush in” in response to redefining it in terms of the competencies employee pressure to get things done quickly; and capabilities that are required to police • clearly defining diversity and helping people in the contemporary context (e.g. it’s not understand what it is; just about masculinity); and, • leveraging the experiences of other • expanding what gets measured to organisations and jurisdictions, include measures of inclusion and yet avoiding “copying and pasting”; organisational justice. • examining core curriculum to ensure that diversity and inclusion are incorporated Real life experiences as cross-cutting concepts; Having explored the ideas and suggestions • acknowledging employee wellbeing and of workshop participants, a panel of good mental health as positive outcomes senior officers with significant experience of inclusion; in promoting diversity and inclusion in policing was convened in order to uncover the • examining establishment of an external real-life challenges of developing more inclusive complaints mechanism to enhance trust policing organisations. Deputy Commissioner and encourage reporting; and, Wendy Steendam reflected upon the Victoria • improving monitoring and evaluation Police experience, with particular reference of change initiatives, including through to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human inclusion-sensitive dashboard reporting. Rights Commission review, while Assistant Commissioner Ray Johnson reflected upon the AFP experience (with particular reference to the Broderick review), and Assistant 4 Commissioner Carleen York reflected upon Research Focus: her experience as Manager Human Resources Diversity and inclusion in Australian policing for New South Wales Police. aipm.gov.au Despite leading different organisations, An emergent research agenda and having different personal experiences, The Building Inclusive Police Organisations the panel consistently highlighted a number workshop revealed a number of ways of key points requiring consideration when in which the profession could be better leading organisational change. Namely: supported by research on diversity • The need for leaders to go first. Leaders and inclusion, predominantly in policing must be self-reflective and publicly organisations. Firstly, it suggested the need acknowledge their own roles in perpetuating for a forum through which information could organisational culture, both historically and be disseminated and experiences shared, in the present. They must be courageous and namely a Community of Practice. Secondly, authentic so as to role model the behaviours it spoke to the real need for investment in expected of the workforce. Organisations an evidence base on “what works” to promote must invest in leader development so diversity and inclusion within policing and that leaders are equipped to promote emergency services agencies. positive change. • There is a need to focus on the future. Community of Practice Cultural change is a long-term process, A community of practice may in part which needs to be premised on a clear address some of the challenges identified by understanding of the desired future-state. workshop participants. Participants expressed Many jurisdictions are dedicating effort to frustration at the lack of time they have to the development of capability frameworks, read and think, which makes it difficult to which articulate the skills and attributes keep abreast of contemporary developments required of personnel. Victoria Police, and promising approaches to cultural change, for example, is seeking those with including that intended to promote inclusive “confident humility”. There is an increasing workplace cultures. So too, against the emphasis upon values, notably respect. backdrop of time constraints, they noted • Conversations are pivotal to the that cross-jurisdictional knowledge change process. Conversations give employees sharing is less frequent than it ought to be, a voice and the organisation an understanding given the commonality of the challenges of the facilitators and blockers of change. being faced across the nation They help individuals reflect on their own behaviours and role in cultural change, Communities of practice are associated with and help organisations understand the likely a range of benefits: they connect people with impacts of changes on particular cohorts. common interests who may otherwise not be in contact; they provide access to new • Story-telling is both therapeutic knowledge and foster collaboration; they enable and instructive. It is important to frank discussion outside of organisational involve senior personnel in the process, boundaries in which dissent may not be so that they’re able to develop a genuine encouraged; they create communities of trust; understanding of individuals’ experiences and, they facilitate discussion of “best practice”, of harm. Story-telling is a powerful way of enabling innovation and continuous “converting people to the cause” — it speaks improvement (McDermott, 2000). The UK’s to the heart and helps people understand College of Policing, through its Police OnLine why change is necessary. Knowledge Area (POLKA) hosts communities • Cultural change is notoriously slow of practice across a range of topic areas, and difficult. It involves significant trial allowing practitioners from across the country and error. There is great value in consulting to share information, advice, knowledge with others about their experiences and ideas with colleagues working on similar of cultural change, within policing, issues in a secure environment. The workshop but also beyond, including private industry highlighted the benefit that a similar system and academia. Experimentation is necessary, could have in Australia, and in particular in despite the constant pressure to meet relation to sharing knowledge about diversity organisational targets. and inclusion. Such a forum could provide • Clear messaging and consistent a platform for: communications are critical to success. • discussion and knowledge sharing across There is a need not only for electronic the jurisdictions (facilitating learning); communication but face to face time involving • development of a living database of leaders and employees. Communication must information relating to “what works” be constant and authentic. It must be well to promote diversity and inclusion thought through and planned. Some agencies (facilitating research); and, have benefited from engaging external experts to maximise messaging efforts. • dissemination of condensed information on key developments in diversity and inclusion (facilitating knowledge sharing). 5 Research Focus: Diversity and inclusion in Australian policing aipm.gov.au Developing an evidence base: Specific questions to be explored What works? in the study include: • What strategies work to promote diversity While the case for diversity and inclusion and inclusion (comparative analysis will provide is vociferously made by leaders around an ability to look at the impact of contextual the globe, there is a dearth of robust empirical factors including time, political climate, evidence on “what works” to promote them. leadership etc. upon the success or To that end, organisations around the world are otherwise of various strategies); attempting to implement similar strategies, with little evidence that they actually • How do we understand and measure success work. Indeed, there is some evidence, (quantitative demonstrations of progress as highlighted by Bohnet (2016), that many towards demographic diversity; behaviour and of the strategies organisations typically attitudinal change; shifts in work practices; employ to promote diversity and inclusion, employee engagement with and resistance such as diversity training, don’t work or to change process); have unintended consequences. Yet we • Do change leaders see a clear distinction continue to try them, perhaps due to a lack between strategies intended to of imagination, or more cynically because we promote diversity and those intended to sometimes take action prior to analysis because promote inclusion? If so, do change leaders being “seen to do something” is actually the believe that the balance of effort is right? end goal. What evidence does exist is largely • How can theoretical frameworks such as extracted from private industry and little intersectionality and fault line analysis research has been undertaken to ascertain (theories that examine the ways in which whether or not the promotion of diversity and different components of identity intersect, inclusion in policing organisations is the same rather than single-lens approaches which or different to the private industry experience. privilege a single identity marker such as To help fill this gap the AIPM is working race or gender) inform practical approaches on a project called Leveraging Diversity, to the promotion of inclusion; and, which is an empirical cross-jurisdiction • Does the policing context (culture, systems, study of Australian efforts to promote processes) pose specific challenges gender equality, diversity and inclusion or opportunities to the promotion of in policing. diversity and inclusion?

The study intends to promote both practical All jurisdictions have been invited to participate and scholarly outcomes, including but not and a number have chosen to be involved. limited to: increased cross-jurisdiction knowledge exchange and learning; a learning The study is being led by Dr Abby McLeod, and continuous improvement approach to the who can be contacted at [email protected] implementation and measurement of diversity for further information about the project. and inclusion strategies; and, an Australian contribution to global scholarship on diversity and inclusion, with a focus upon the efficacy of practical strategies to promote diversity and inclusion in policing organisations.

Leaders must be self-reflective and 6 Research Focus: publicly acknowledge their own roles Diversity and inclusion in Australian policing in perpetuating organisational culture aipm.gov.au So where to now? References Global attention to gender equality continues Bohnet, I. (2016). What works: Gender equality across the developed and developing world, by design. Cambridge, MA: Harvard not only because it is increasingly University Press. proven to make good business sense, Elizabeth Broderick & Co. (2016). but also because it is the right thing Culture change: Gender, diversity and inclusion to do. In a policing context, diverse — in the Australian Federal Police. Retrieved from including gender diverse — organisations https://www.afp.gov.au/sites/default/files better represent the communities they /PDF/Reports/Broderick-Report-2016.pdf. serve and more than ever, are seen as essential to the quest for organisational Equal Opportunity Commission of flexibility and innovation. To that end, policing South Australia.(2016). Independent review organisations are working hard to increase into sex discrimination, sexual harassment and the demographic diversity of their workforces, predatory behaviour in South Australia Police. in countries ranging from the UK, the US Retrieved from http://www.eoc.sa.gov.au/ and Canada, through to those in Africa and sites/eoc.sa.gov.au/files/attachments/SAPOL_ the Pacific Islands. Yet creating climates Review_2016_Final.pdf in which such diversity can be leveraged Holvino E. (2014). Developing multicultural remains an ongoing challenge organizations: an application of the multicultural There is ample evidence that Australian OD model. In B.B. Jones & M. Brazzel (Eds.), policing leaders are committed to the The NTL handbook of organization development promotion of diversity and inclusion in and change: principles, practices, and perspectives, their organisations. Workshop participants (pp. 517–534). San Francisco: Pfeiffer. highlighted the passion and commitment McDermott, R. (2000). Knowing in community: of those (both men and women) working at 10 critical success factors in building communities the coal face to promote diversity and inclusion, of practice. Retrieved from http://www. retaining great enthusiasm for the task providersedge.com/docs/km_articles/Knowing_ at hand despite widespread resistance and in_Community_-_10_Critical_Success_Factors_ multiple challenges. More than at any other in_Building_CoP.pdf time before, Australian policing and emergency services organisations are leading the way McLeod, A., & Herrington, V. (2017). in terms of the rate of effort being allocated Valuing different shades of blue: to the promotion of diversity and inclusion. From diversity and inclusion and the challenge The challenge now, as highlighted by senior of harnessing difference.International Journal organisational leaders, is to retain a clear of Emergency Services, 6(3), 1-12. vision of the future, actively engage with Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human resistance, use data to constantly adapt Rights Commission. (2015). Independent review our approaches in response to evidence of into sex discrimination and sexual harassment, effectiveness of otherwise, and maintain including predatory behaviour in Victoria Police momentum in the face of what oftentimes — phase one report. Retrieved from http:// feels like the “glacial pace” of cultural change. www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/ our-resources-and-publications/reports/ item/1336-independent-review-into-sex- discrimination-and-sexual-harassment- including-predatory-behaviour-in- victoria-police-phase-one-report-2015 Workman-Stark, A. (2017). Inclusive policing from the inside out. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. Yoshino, K. (2007). Covering. New York: Random House.

AIPM Collins Beach Road Manly NSW 7 PO Box 168 Manly NSW 1655 Research Focus: Diversity and inclusion t: +61 2 9934 4800 in Australian policing e: [email protected] aipm.gov.au