Female officers behind the badge : uncovering the pathways towards top leadership positions : a study on the Malta Police Force

Abstract

This study examines barriers and enablers influencing progression of female officers into leadership positions within a traditionally male-oriented Malta Police Force. Using a qualitative approach, six female officers from varying ranks were interviewed to gather primary data. Interview questions explored career journeys, institutional and cultural challenges, leadership experiences, support systems, work-life balance and gender reforms. The study was guided by three research questions: opportunities and hurdles females face when seeking leadership positions, leadership qualities females exhibit and strategies females can utilise to rise through the ranks. Thematic analysis drew on multiple theoretical frameworks: Role Congruity, Tokenism, Organisational Socialisation, Queen Bee, Glass Ceiling and Glass Cliff, with Role Congruity most pronounced. Secondary data, including published and unpublished sources, offered theoretical context and statistical insight, deepening gender leadership disparities in law enforcement. Findings were categorised into six overarching themes: structural barriers, exclusion from informal networks, gendered expectations, limited mentorship, work-life balance and symbolic versus substantive reforms. Despite gender-neutral titles and inclusive recruitment reforms, participants viewed them as largely symbolic without having systemic change. Females exhibited transformational traits like empathy, collaboration and emotional intelligence, yet endured pressures to adopt masculine behaviours. Adaptive strategies encompassed resilience and informal mentorship, but sustainable change depended on systemic reform. Recommendations include independent promotion oversight, structured mentorship and sponsorship and targeted gender sensitivity training. Despite its small sample size, this research offers comprehensions into gendered leadership dynamics in small-state policing, filling a Maltese literature gap and contributing to universal gender equity and leadership discourse in policing.