Policing, gender, and working time: An Australian case study

Part-time work has been identified as a key mechanism to retain women in policing. However, its uptake remains low and part-time police officers are often marginalised. The paper draws on collaborative research with Victoria Police and a discrimination complaint pursued by a Victoria Police detective who wanted to work part-time. While she was ultimately successful, her case and the organisational case study highlight the complexity of the resistance to part-time work within policing services. The paper explores the forms this resistance has taken and the organisational interrelationships of gender and working time, specifically around full-time and part-time work.