The Feminist Majority Foundation’s National Center for Women and Policing will hold its second annual conference, Police Leadership for the 21st Century: Women Implementing Change, on March 8-11, 1997 in Anaheim, California.

"Our conferences take on topics that no other policing organization will touch," said Penny Harrington, director of the National Center for Women and Policing and former police chief of Portland, Oregon. "Pressing issues like domestic violence in police families, sexual harassment, abortion clinic violence, how to change policing to be more community-oriented, and how to recruit more women."

Sessions include: "Preventing and Eliminating Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment," "Setting Priorities: What if We Wrote the Budget?" and "Preventing Abortion Clinic Violence." The last day of the conference will be devoted to how to help crime victims, including a discussion of technological aids for victims of domestic violence and stalking such as beepers and portable phones that dial 911.

Featured speakers include Rosa Melendez, the U.S. Marshal for the Western district of Washington state, who will speak on how women can prepare for leadership positions in policing. Melendez is the first woman of color in the United States to become a U.S. Marshal, a position to which she was appointed by President Clinton. Melendez has 24 years of experience in the field of law enforcement.

Chicago Heights Police Chief Karla Osantowski will speak on how police can help domestic violence victims even when the victim does not want to cooperate with police. Osantowski, a former battered wife, wrote her department’s first domestic violence guidelines and set up special training for every officer. As a result, reports on domestic violence skyrocketed from 412 in 1994 to 1,438 in 1995.

The opening reception of the conference will feature a panel of women mystery authors, including Annette Meyers, author of the Smith and Wetzon mysteries; Susan Dunlap, author of the Jill Smith mystery series; and Laurie R. King, author of the Kate Martinelli series. Meyers serves as president of Sisters in Crime, a national organization that works to end discrimination against women in the mystery field. Dunlap and King feature women police officers in their award-winning books.

In addition, professional development sessions will help women learn techniques to get promoted. Receptions and networking opportunities will help women find mentors and learn from each other. The conference is open to all women working in any area of the criminal justice system. For more information on the conference please call (213) 651-2532.