Behind the Badge: Women in the NYPD

(Sgt. Pisano
www.nypdpea.com)

A blouse and a pair of dress pants hung in Sergeant Karen Pisano’s office. She had intended on going to the gym, until her work consumed her. “Welcome to my world,” she said as she sat down at her desk. The phone was already ringing.

Sergeant Pisano is the current President of the NYPD Policewomen’s Endowment Association (PEA). The organization, founded in 1921, works to celebrate the history of women in the NYPD as well as empower female officers today through mentoring, networking, and educational programming. It is currently the only organization to recognize and address issues that directly impact and affect females on the job. As March marks Women’s History Month, it is important to Pisano to preserve the history of female officers and to continue addressing uniquely female needs.  

These needs often vary, just as women’s experiences in the NYPD do. “We think differently,” Sergeant Pisano said about female officers, “But you never forget that you’re a cop.”

Challenges often encompass anything from pregnancy and breast feeding to complex family situations. Coverage for birth control has been a particularly contentious topic. “But it isn’t just a women’s issue,” Pisano said, “What about the male officers? Most of them have wives.”

As a single mother, many of the issues Sergeant Pisano tackles in the PEA have personal resonance. She joined the force 20 years ago largely because of the stability and health care benefits. After 14 years on patrol, she was drafted to the IAB. While Pisano said that females today do not necessarily have a different experience due to gender, they do often approach situations differently.

In approaching domestic violence disputes, for example, Pisano explained that she chooses to take a more conversational approach. Instead of aggressively entering the scene, as men often do, she will try redirecting attention to a photo on the wall, a once happy moment in the couple’s life.

In teaching about domestic violence, Pisano said males will almost always ask why battered women do not simply leave their abuser. In response, she will flip the scenario. “I’ll ask them, could you do it?” she explained passionately, “Could you take your children and leave your home and never thinking about coming back?”

Sergeant Pisano also worked on child abuse cases. As with domestic violence, she said that the female approach to these cases is also different. Women typically have an instinct to nurture. One of her most rewarding moments as an officer was when she helped a young girl.

Upon being taken out of an abusive situation, children are required to undergo a physical exam, ­­­which often includes a gynecological component for girls.

“Can you imagine having to do that as a kid?” Pisano said, “I would always make a point to talk to them,” One specific case made particular impact. “It means the world for them [the children] just to know someone cares.”

Another female detective, who has been in the NYPD for 11 years, agreed. “When it comes to decision making,” she said, “About making the right call, making the wrong call.” Female officers are different than men in these ways.

With about 6,000 female officers in the NYPD today, the PEA continues to lead the way in helping women with a central objective. “Let’s see how we can work together,” Pisano said.

The PEA will be having a Women’s History Month celebratory event on March 21^st, where Pisano will be speaking. For more information, visit www.nypdpea.com

(Photos and awards in Sergeant Karen Pisano's office)