The case for more policewomen

The National Police Commission (NPC) this week promoted eight women Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP) to the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP). The laudable step, however, only serves to highlight how deeply male-dominated the police force is with structures intentionally created to hold back policewomen and keep them as subordinates.    

As highlighted in an illuminating report, never in the history of the Sri Lanka Police Department has there ever been a woman Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, a woman Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police or a woman Inspector General of Police (IGP). Under the existing procedure, there never can be.

Despite thousands of women now serving in the police force in different capacities, the Police Department does not make allowance for female DIGs, Senior DIGs or IGPs. There are simply no allotted vacancies for them. Of the 70,000 or so strong police force there are only about 8,000 policewomen with no efforts made to increase these numbers. 

That is not all. There is only one approved cadre position for a woman Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP); two approved cadre positions for women Superintendents of Police (SP); and 15 approved cadre positions for women Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP).

In contrast, there are 12 approved cadre positions for male Senior DIGs; 46 for male DIGs; 169 for male SSPs; 162 for male SPs; and 314 approved cadre positions for male ASPs.

With so few slots, there are only three ways for a woman of ASP grade to rise if the existing SP positions are already occupied. One is if a female SP is promoted to SSP and leaves her slot vacant; the second is if a female SP retires; and the third is if a female SP dies or leaves. The serving female ASPs are all in their late thirties or early forties. This means they have many years of service left but the majority will have no further career prospects. 

This is also unfair from the public’s point of view. Currently 52% of Sri Lanka’s population is female and a high percentage of them face harassment, rape and abuse but there aren’t sufficient women on the police force to deal with those instances. For example in the north and east there are thousands of women-headed households and they may find it challenging to go and report their difficulties to a police station that is largely staffed by men. 

Even in the south women rarely venture to police stations alone as it is considered inappropriate or unsafe. Still others fear bribes will be solicited if they approach policemen. Instances of torture and allegations of custody deaths would also drop significantly if more women were allowed to join and to serve at higher positions in the force. If women were allowed to serve more widely in police stations then they would become more inclusive and approachable places. 

It was recently reported that more than 90% of women travelling in public transport face harassment. Several countries have successfully tackled this issue by encouraging plainclothes female police officers to travel on public transport and apprehend offenders. But in Sri Lanka even such a simply measure would be a struggle. Making the police an equitable employer would benefit all of society.