BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD—The Baltimore County Police Department has pledged to advance more women in policing.

The department signed on to the 30×30 Pledge on Wednesday, March 24. The goal of this initiative is for women to represent 30 percent of police recruit classes by 2030. While 30×30 is focused on advancing women in policing, these principles are applicable to all potential applicants.

The Pledge is the foundational effort of the 30×30 Initiative – a coalition of police leaders, researchers, and professional organizations who have joined together to advance the representation and experiences of women in all ranks of policing across the United States.

“This pledge demonstrates that the Baltimore County Police Department is actively working towards improving the representation and experiences of women officers in our agency,” said Baltimore County Police Chief Melissa Hyatt. “I’m elated that our agency is on the forefront of this national collaboration which aligns directly with our focus to increase diversity across the agency.”

Currently, women make up only 12 percent of sworn officers and 3 percent of police leadership in the U.S.

This initiative will help police agencies develop and implement strategies and solutions to eliminate barriers and advance women in policing. These actions address recruitment, assessment, hiring, retention, promotion, and agency culture.

The 30×30 Initiative is affiliated with the Policing Project at NYU School of Law and the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE).

More than 35 agencies – from major metro departments including the New York City Police Department, to mid-sized, rural, university and state policing agencies – have signed the 30×30 Pledge. The Pledge is based on social science research that greater representation of women on police forces leads to better policing outcomes for communities.

“We are grateful to the Baltimore County Police Department for being one of the first in the nation to commit to being a part of this growing movement” said Maureen McGough, co-founder of the 30×30 Initiative, Chief of Staff of the Policing Project at the New York University School of Law, and former policing expert at the U.S. Department of Justice.

“We believe strongly that advancing women in policing is critical to improving public safety outcomes. We look forward to having more agencies follow the Baltimore County Police Department’s lead by signing the pledge and improving the representation and experiences of women in policing.”