18-02-2025
DPD joins national initiative to increase number of female officers
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — The Dayton Police Department is working to increase the number of female officers with a new plan in place to get more women on the force.
Local leaders say they want more women to have the chance to thrive in law enforcement careers, which is why DPD is joining a national movement to increase the number of female recruits.
'The uniform does bring a barrier in relating to victims sometimes,' said Officer Cayce Cantrell, DPD.
Officer Cantrell has served with the Dayton Police Department for 25 years. Now, she's helping lead a growing effort to bring more women onto the police force.
Dayton has joined agencies from across the country as part of the national 30×30 Initiative, which aims for departments to have women make up at least 30 percent of recruit classes by 2030.
The current national average is 13 percent, but DPD reports above that average at 16 percent of female sworn officers.
Police officials say that female officers show they bring unique perspectives and help improve workplace culture — something the department says helps officers better protect the communities they serve.
'A lot of times a woman can soften that role and make the public more relatable to the badge and victims feel a little more at ease, and especially if they've unfortunately found themselves the victim of a crime,' said Cantrell.
The department currently has an open application on their website for those who are interested in law enforcement. Applications are open until March 2.
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