Are safety and security and commitment to family and community high on your list of priorities?

Then you may have found your calling.

The first females entered the Boston Police Academy in the early 1970's. Since then, females have become an integral part of the department. The Boston Police Department currently employs approximately 385 sworn female officers. Gone are the days of women serving solely in an administrative capacity or in positions deemed more suitable for women. Today we serve on the front lines. Women on the job serve in various capacities such as patrol officers, criminal investigators, motorcycle officers, and hostage negotiators.

Today women in the profession of law enforcement come from all walks of life. While most officers serve in the patrol capacity, there are opportunities in specialized areas of law enforcement available to those who are interested. Sworn personnel hold positions in the Community Service Office, the Information Systems Group, the Crime Scene Investigations Unit for example. There are also positions available as Academy staff instructor, Domestic Violence Unit investigator and Sexual Assault Unit investigator. It is just a matter of finding your niche.

Women are presented with many opportunities for advancement within the police department. We hold ranks within the department from police officer to Superintendent.

Kathleen O'Toole began her career as a Boston Police Officer in 1979 and rose to the rank of Sergeant. She left the department in 1986 to pursue other career opportunities only to return to the department in February 2004 when she was appointed as the Boston Police Department's first female Police Commissioner.

Women working in law enforcement bring to this profession a more diverse workforce and varying perspectives. These factors play an important role in the efforts to further community-policing initiatives.

While being a police officer requires a great deal of commitment and the demands of the Department can often be great, benefits such as the salary, medical insurance, sick time and vacation time allow women to find a delicate balance between a successful career in law enforcement while continuing to be dedicated to responsibilities of family.

If you have the courage, the drive and the commitment to serve the Boston community, we encourage you to begin the journey to becoming one of Boston's Finest.