This week, in recognition of Women’s History Month, I presented a Florida Cabinet resolution to the Florida Police Chiefs Association highlighting the record number of female police chiefs leading departments in our state.
Florida now has a record 20 female chiefs—10 of whom are the first women to ever hold that position in their departments. Florida is also outpacing the national average when it comes to total women in law enforcement with more than 7,400 officers, representing 16 percent of the state’s entire law enforcement workforce. That is four points higher than the national average.
At a resolution presentation in West Palm Beach, we honored some of these trailblazing women like Punta Gorda Chief of Police Pamela Davis, who moved from Baltimore and became the first female to lead that department.
We also highlighted the great work of Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Fort Myers Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tracy Mauer. Tracy helped shut down a huge SUR-13 drug-trafficking operation last year that netted 24 arrests and seized huge amounts of deadly fentanyl.
These are just a few of the trailblazing women risking their safety for safer communities, and we hope their example will encourage more women to join their ranks. That is why I want to encourage women from around our state and nation to check out our law enforcement recruitment tool, BeAFloridaHero.com.
This resource hosts an interactive map displaying all the open law enforcement positions across out great state. It also provides information about training opportunities and details the great benefits and incentives available for new officers.
There is no better place to begin your search to serve in the most pro-law enforcement state in the nation!
By recognizing, encouraging and recruiting new officers, we are building a Stronger, Safer Florida.
Ashley Moody is attorney general of Florida.