Maya Adawi had a dream: to serve as a female police officer in the Palestinian Civil Police. The minute she passed her high school exams four years ago, she told her parents: “I want to study in college to become a police officer”.

“My parents did not object,” said the 22-year old from Bethlehem.

Two years into the service, now a First Sergeant, she hopes to bring unique advantages to law enforcement: to enhance trust and cement bridges with the community.

“Helping others is the main factor that inspired me to become a police officer. I can intervene to provide assistance in many areas,” Adawi said, during a meeting with EUPOL COPPS at her office in Bethlehem Police District.

“I started my career working in the field, helping people,” said the First Sergeant. “I was commended by my superiors several times because of that.”

Adawi now works in traffic administration and performs administrative work. But her passion lies elsewhere: as a motor cycle officer. She sometimes performs this role in police graduation ceremonies at the Police Academy in Jericho.

Female representation in the Palestinian Civil Police has traditionally been low. Adawi hopes her participation in the service will encourage other females to join.  Women constitute seven percent of the nation’s nearly 9,000 police officers in the West Bank, in comparison to 0.05 percent 24 years ago when the police force stood at 3,200.

Female officers are bringing a distinctly different and valuable set of skills to the profession. As community policing becomes more prevalent, the growing presence of women may help improve community relations, and foster a more flexible approach to keeping the peace. 

Col. Wafaa Muammar, Head of the PCP’s Family Protection Unit and a pioneer among female PCP officers, said there is a growing interest among Palestinian women to join. There are now more female applicants than male

“People are now more convinced that the police is a service-oriented body to serve the people. The level of trust has increased in comparison to other security services,” Muammar said.

Muammar, who commands 170 personnel, 40 percent of whom are women, said there are a plethora of challenges that female officers have to face such as stereotyped gender roles in society and misperceptions that physical strength and above-average height are required to be a police officer. But she says that female officers are at least as competent as their male counterparts and even excel in certain areas of police performance.

There are advantages in increasing females in the service, she said. “Female officers are less likely to use force; female officers are more likely to implement “community-oriented policing methods”. More female officers will also improve the Police’s approach to cases of violence against women,” she said.

EUPOL COPPS has since 2006, supported all aspects of the Palestinian Civil Police in a manner that applies international police practices and human rights principles, with a particular focus on advancing gender equality and women empowerment, good governance, transparency and anti-corruption strategies. The Mission remains dedicated in its continued support, to jointly contribute to increased gender representation, sustained stability and security for the Palestinian people.