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| (Sgt. Pisano www.nypdpea.com) |
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.
(Photos and awards in Sergeant Karen Pisano's office)
