| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立政治大學 === 行政管理碩士學程 === 97 === Police staff works round the clock and on a shift basis. Their jobs involve high risks, physical strength requirements, uncertainty and mobility. On a year-by-year basis, the National Police Agency is planning to lift the 10:1 quota for male and female recruitments. Increase in the number of female police staff, therefore, is foreseeable. In terms of human resources management, policewomen will play an increasingly important role in the industry. In the past, policewomen were normally assigned to minor tasks or less complicated office works. Now their roles are becoming versatile, having to fulfill different job requirements including shift works, patrolling, traffic conduction, roadside inspection, chasing criminals, combating guns and drugs, etc. They have to deal with a diversified and complicated environment for public security and to fulfill their family responsibilities at the same time. Are policewomen, therefore, facing role conflicts? Do they need role adjustments? These are all issues worthy of further exploration.
In this research, we adopted the In-Depth Interview approach, one of the Qualitative Research methodologies, and have interviewed 12 married policewomen with children, who are working for the Keelung City Police Bureau. The purpose is to achieve an in-depth understanding of the life of these policewomen; the parental relationship, role expectation and role conflicts; as well as various problems they encountered. We also tried to understand the approaches they took to achieve an effective work/family balance when dealing with their multiple roles. The results of the interview have been classified and analyzed, and are summarized below:
一、Parental Relationship and the Authority Teaching Style
Most of the interviewees are influenced by traditional concepts. Facing the pressure of double-income families, as well as lengthy and irregular working hours, they are forced to squeeze the time spent with their children. The interaction between parents and children, therefore, is reduced. Having to communicate with the kids within limited time and minimize undesired behaviors from the children, most of the interviewees adopt the authority teaching style. They set up rules and asked their children to follow.
二、Financial Considerations – The Key Reason for Selecting Police Jobs
For female police staff, one of the key reasons for joining the police force is financial considerations. Another reason is their adoration of the “manlike” nature of the police jobs and their positive image in combating crime and protecting justice.
三、 The Traditional Role as a Mother
In terms of their roles as a “mother” and a “wife”, the interviewees still could not free themselves from the traditional roles and obligations for the gender. They believed that they had unshirkable responsibilities to look after the family and educate the children. They have no choice but to sacrifice their own time to satisfy the need of their husbands and children.
四、 Childcare – a Heavy Load
The interviewees have spent tremendous time and energy in looking after and educating their preschool children. They felt physically overloaded. Sometimes they needed to bring the kids to offices so that they could, while working, look after the kids and help with their homework at the same time. The pressure would become worse if their husbands were unable to share the house chores. Some interviewees felt themselves “a candle burning at both ends”, having difficulties in adapting themselves to the situation.
五、Role Conflicts and the Need for Support
When facing a role conflict between family and work, the interviewees felt it most important to turn to a support system. For example, they would seek help from the elders in the family for help, or rely on the childcare services from the employers. Other methods for temporary relief are to talk with their husbands, families or friends, listening to music or join sport activities. These are all effective strategies for the interviewees. While striving for their career, policewomen are still required to remain family-focused and support all family activities, since family care is still reckoned as their ultimate goal of life.
Based on the results of this research, we wish to provide the following recommendations:
(1) For police agencies: We recommend to arrange parental/children activities, provide education on the roles of policewomen, enhance education on sexual equality; review and ensure reasonable working hours, provide childcare supports and build up a good rotation system for policewomen.
(2) For married policewomen: Provide social supports, improve communication within the family, develop time management skills, solicit external supports, improve resource management and ensure equality in the sharing of housework.
Key Words: Married Policewomen, Parental Relationship, Multiple Role, Role Expectation, Role Conflicts
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