"POLICE WOMEN MAKE COMMUNITIES SAFER"

"A few years ago, I noticed something alarming. I started monitoring recruits as they cycled through police academies in the state of New Jersey, and I found that women were failing at rates between 65 and 80 percent, due to varying aspects of the physical fitness test."

IVONNE ROMAN

Former police chief of Newark, New Jersey.

I taught defensive tactics to many female officers who had passed their respective department's fitness requirement.

Every officer, regardless of gender, must know their partner is physically and tactically capable of saving their life.

Many male officers doubt a woman can be that partner and they could be correct on a person by person situation but doubt can not be a blanket attitude.

I've had numerous training sessions where women take male "suspects" down quickly and efficiently.

One in particular I remember a 6'2" 250 pound male officer scoffed at his female colleague being able to arrest him.

There was no struggle. She dropped him and had him cuffed within seconds.

The "suspect" humilated himself with his bravado compounded by his broken nose.

Roman has a point in that the female officers I've observed all exhibited superior interpersonal skills for deescalating an otherwise potential violent incident.