It is crucial to avoid gender blindness in human resources management within the Serbian Ministry of Interior, so as to develop a police organizational culture that fosters gender equality.

By Aurelija Djan (BCSP) / Photo: Centre for Basic Police Training, Graduates of 37 Class 
@auradjan

Recommendations

1. Adopt the bylaws of the Law on Police which will be gender sensitive so as to acknowledge the implementation of gender equality policies that improve the status of women within the police. More precisely, at least 7 bylaws that should take into account a gender perspective are the following: a bylaw on the criteria and preconditions for the selection of the candidates for professional development; a bylaw on the procedure, criteria and method of evaluation as well as the criteria for the selections of employees to work outside of Serbia; a bylaw on the systematization of working positions; a bylaw on the standardization of the quality and level of work engagement; a bylaw on the behaviour and human relations; a bylaw on the professional training of apprentice; a bylaw on a professional training and development.

2. Introduce a Gender Equality Coordinator who will be specifically in charge of gender equality issues within the Ministry of Interior. This position must be ranked higher in the hierarchy within the Ministry in order to put policies and structures in place guaranteeing adequate responses to gender based discrimination.

3. Adopt and implement the revised National Action Plans (NAP) of UNSC 1325 Women, Peace and Security and focus its activities on the real obstacles women in the Ministry of Interior face regarding the employment and career policies with the aim to avoid simple quantitative presentation of women and focus on their full participation in the police structures.

Introduction

The introduction and establishment of the new management system within Serbian Ministry of Interior (MoI) has been announced by the adoption of new Law on Police.[1] In the public discourse the wholesale changes in the human resources management (HRM) have been presented as one of the most important traits of the undertaken reform processes within the MoI marked by the new Law.[2]

Although there is a belief that these reforms can significantly improve the quality of police work, one may argue that without a clear focus on women, human resources reorganization within the MoI cannot result in any progress, but rather will contribute to already disadvantaged status of police women with the police.

The Missing Link

The public debate on police reform was limited as it lacked adequate transparency process of the announced reforms.[3] However, in the media representation of different levels of novelty regarding HRM, the public was familiarized with certain parts of it. For example, it has been constantly pointed out that the recruitment and selection process within the police will be transparent based on the unique criteria that will be applied to everyone. Similarly, it has been also noted that opportunities for professional development and career advancement will be available for all employees within the MoI. In order to climb a career ladder within the Serbian police service, one must prove a genuine and complete commitment to the police service as to get an opportunity to be promoted.[4] Even though these points are common for an efficient management of employees within the organization, the announced reforms are unlikely to be adequately implemented if a gender component is not taken into account. More precisely, a unified system for the improvement of human resources will fail and deepen women’s unfavourable position unless there is recognition of different treatment between women and men within the police service.

Paying attention to gender aspects of human resources is crucial due to a number of reasons. The patterns of human resources such as working hours, conditions of service and career structures have a different effect on women and man. This is especially visible in the fields which are regarded as “male” such as police. Policing is one of the most male dominated occupations, owing simply to the fact that men have traditionally been involved in policing throughout history.[5] Even though this situation has been changing recently as women have started entering the police workplace, there are different obstacles that women still face. Therefore, the introduction of a gender perspective shall make the most effective use of human resources within police. The practical need to consider gender mainstreaming can be seen in the improvement of police service provision as well as in tackling present gender discrimination within the police.

The Status of Women within the Ministry of Interior

In order to apply the same HRM criteria within the MoI of Serbia to women and men, it is of utmost importance to consider their different status throughout policing history first.

Gender integration and the opportunity for women to work in the police and actively participate in policy making on policing have been fiercely resisted in Serbia. Women were first introduced into the police service as traffic police officers in 1976. The representation of women in other operational posts, however, was marginalized. At the beginning of the 1990s, a small number of women were employed in the Duty Operational Centre of Belgrade. The limited number of female police officers in the overall police force was due to the fact that women were not allowed to receive the necessary training and were, therefore, ineligible for police service.

The latest trend of 2015 shows that women make 22.7% of the total number of the MoI’s employees. Only 10% of female employees among all employees within the MoI work on the operational posts. Even though the representation of women has improved in the police force, the number continues to be significantly lower than the population ratio of male and females in Serbia. Moreover, women in the police hold lower positions, while management positions in the Ministry are still held predominantly by men[6].

Men occupy top management levels (Minister, Acting Director of the Police, State Secretary, Chief of Police and Deputy Chief-of-Cabinet, Ministry Secretary, Head of Criminal Police Directorate). Of a total of 27 regional police departments, there is only one female head of the regional police department in Užice. The lowest number of women in the police can be found in special units such as the Gendarmerie (2%), while the special Anti-Terrorist Unit counts no women whatsoever. [7] Furthermore, the number of female employees within the Gendarmerie unit does not present accurate numbers of women working on these positions as the percentages that demonstrate the overall proportion of women, include women who work in administrative roles.[8] Bearing this in mind, we can come to conclusion that there are hardly any women in the special units because it is clear that these percentages comprise of posts other than operational ones.

Moreover, the results of the qualitative research that the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy carried out with women and men within the MoI demonstrate that there is no optimal use of the police workforce.[9]  The research suggests that many women within the Serbian police service work predominantly in the units which have a lower rank with fewer opportunities for the advancement. Even though they are qualified for police work and able to fulfil all the requirements to climb the career ladder, they are rarely given the opportunity to do so. It was also found that “even though women police officers are supposed to work in operational posts, they primarily perform administrative duties, whereas superiors try not to expose them to “dangerous situations.”

In the same light, due to traditional gender roles which depict women as mothers and nurturers, women who are decisive to professionally develop and advance usually face informal obstacles that put them in a position to choose between the career or family. There is a general perception that the work in the police is not able to accommodate flexible or part time working practices which deprive women from taking family responsibilities and balancing their private and professional life.[10] Therefore, it seems that women have less chance to fulfil the criteria for promotion since they usually chose family over career. On the other hand, women can also become overprotected by their colleagues by not being allowed to do operational tasks, for example. Although the latter can be out of good intentions, it reinforces general stereotypes that see women as weak, incompetent and in need of protection.

Current Policy Options

The Serbian Ministry of Interior has not progressed too much when it comes to gender equality in the police. However, there have been certain attempts that set women’s issues on the Ministry’s priority agenda; mainly due to the commitment to the Implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) on UNSC Resolution 1325 in the Republic of Serbia.[11] At this point, the NAP 1325 expired and its review is in preparation. It is therefore necessary to recognize the NAP’s shortcomings and overcome its focus primarily based on quantitative data on the presence of women and rather consider their full participation in police work within the MoI.

Apart from the NAP 1325 there is no other evidence that MoI has seriously regarded gender equality policies. For example, there is no mention of gender equality among MoI priorities published on their website.[12] It seems that the integration of gender equality principles remains on the level of undertaking different project activities which are financed by foreign donations with no real ownership of gender equality issues within the Ministry. To argue this further, prior to the announcement of police reform, the role of the Gender Advisor within the MoI was merely pro forma. More precisely, taking care of gender equality was additional duty that the advisor had to perform besides her regular daily tasks.[13] After adoption of new Law on Police, the reorganization envisaged a new opening for Equal Opportunities Coordinator. Even though such a post is highly recommended, it should be pointed out that this position is not set high in the police hierarchy, therefore, there has been a concern that this person will not be able to politically influence the MoI and consequently produce any positive changes regarding gender equality.

The first step in showing a clear and long term commitment to the announced reforms regarding human resources management within the MoI, could be visible in delivering a transparent discussion on the upcoming bylaws that need to be adopted soon. At least seven bylaws which regulate recruitment, selection, development and advancement should seriously take gender equality into account.

Conclusion

All the above mentioned indicates that not only should a serious under-representation of women within the Serbian police be considered, but also different nature of obstacles that they face during their career path. Due to the fact that traditional gender roles are highly pertained to male dominated professions such as the police, women are offered less opportunity for promotion. By taking all of that into account, applying the same promotions criteria to all employees regardless of gender may seriously hinder women’s career advancement. In other words, the equal treatment of unequal can further lead to discriminatory practices against women police officers.

Endnotes

[1] Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 6/2016.

[2] Apart from the reforms in the human resources management system, the current reform process within the MoI envisages functional changes within the Police Directorate as well. However, those reforms are not in a focus of this paper and therefore they will not be discussed further.

[3] Elek, B., Tasić, D., Đorđević, S., Assessment of Police Integrity in Serbia, Belgrade: Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, 2015.

[4]  See: http://goo.gl/KlZxUD

[5]  Rabe-Hemp, C. E. (2009) “POLICEwomen or policeWOMEN? Doing Gender and Police Work”. In Feminist criminology 2009 (4): 114-129.

[6] Data retrieved from the interview with a representative of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia in 2015.

[7] Data retrieved from the interview with a representative of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia in 2015.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Bjelos, M., Odanovic G. & Stojanović Gajic S. (2012). “Always woman, never a colleague” Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, Belgrade: 2012.

[10] Niland C. The Impact of Police Culture on Women and Their Performance in policing. 1996. Paper presented at the Australian Institute of Criminology Conference First Australasian Women Police Conference. Available here: http://goo.gl/07Y2Ak

[11] National Action Plan (NAP) on UN SC Resolution 1325 in the Republic of Serbia, available at: http://goo.gl/p2o6Lg

[12] Strategic priorities of the MoI available here: http://goo.gl/8W1JNx

[13] Data retrieved from the interview with a representative of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia in 2015.