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Calgary police committed to advancing women in the policing profession

Women have made significant strides in the policing profession over the past few decades through increased presence and extracurricular engagement, especially in Calgary. In 1995, Christine Silverberg was appointed as Chief of Police for the Calgary Police Service (CPS), where she became the first female chief of police in a major Canadian city. The CPS is committed to advancing and supporting women in the Service and recognizes that more work must be done to eliminate barriers.

“The Calgary Police Service is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace, and that includes women. In support of that commitment, we have uniforms specifically made for women, and a brand-new committee, Calgary Women in Policing, which is dedicated to breaking down barriers and empowering each other to improve opportunities for women,” says Sgt. Angela Tetley, the outreach sergeant with the Calgary Police Service Recruiting Unit, and chair of the Calgary Women in Policing (CWIP) committee.

The CWIP committee is a newly formed group of sworn and civilian CPS members who have come together to support and empower women at the Service. CWIP was created as an extension of the Alberta Women in Public Safety (AWIPS) committee, who’s purpose is to also advance and support women in public safety, with an emphasis on increasing women’s representation in leadership roles.

Photo credit: Calgary Police Service

“Working for the Calgary Police Service can be physically challenging and demanding, but you’ll be with a super supportive bunch of amazing officers who are going to push you, inspire you, and tell you what it’s really like to be a female officer in Calgary,” said Sgt. Tetley. “We’re looking for the best people to join the Service, and many of those people are women.”

The CPS has noticed a trend of more female recruits and experienced officers choosing to join the Service. One of the advantages that is attracting women to pursuing a career as a police officer in Calgary is that salary begins on their first day; this allows the new and experienced officers the ability to focus on learning and not on paying the bills or taking on extra expenses. The CPS is also known for allowing for a great work-life balance, where officers have ample time to spend with their family and enjoy all the great things Calgary has to offer, like the greatest outdoor show on earth, the Calgary Stampede, and the Rocky Mountains less than an hour away. The CPS is all about working as a team, solving problems as a team. Support is always available and thanks to mentorship programs, CWIP, AWIPS, and beyond, our members always have access to the tools and resources to succeed.

More information about the advantages of being a police officer in Calgary is available on join.calgarypolice.ca.