Prince William County police focus on recruiting female officers

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. - Law enforcement agencies across the country celebrated National Police Woman Day this week.

Meanwhile, many departments are facing a shortage of officers.

Agencies in the Washington, D.C. area are no exception.  Some are turning to social media to attract and encourage women to apply.

The Prince William County Police Department's force is 15% female, but they’d like to see that number double. The goal is to get more women on the force now!

The department posted a video message via Twitter on National Police Woman Day Monday. 

"In my experience as a recruiter, there’s two big issues that seem to come up over and over again. The physical aspect of it and the scheduling part of it," said Master Police Officer Hillary Szalach with the Prince William County Police Department. 

Master Police Officer Szalach would know. She’s been on the force for 12 years, recruiting.

"As far as the physical aspect of it, once you become an officer we have a lot of resources," she said. 

Master Police Officer Hillary Szalach 

Szalach said that the schedules are consistent, permanent and created two years in advance.

"We’ve done events in the past year and introduce them to the awesome women we have working here," Szalach said. 

The challenge to recruit women to the force is not unique to Prince William County, but the department is taking steps to boost interest among women.

Szalach says people have a preconceived notion of what this job is and who should be doing this job.

FOX 5’s Tisha Lewis reports Prince William County’s police department has more females on its force than most nationwide.

Even so, the department says it’s not enough.

Many departments have the goal of 30% women recruits by 2030. It's all part of the #30x30intiative gaining traction on social media with the goal of advancing women in policing.