Date of Conferral

8-6-2026

Date of Award

August 2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Kimberley Blackmon

Abstract

This quantitative study examined the impact of stricter sexual harassment policies with protections against retaliation and stronger supervisory support on the likelihood that female law enforcement officers would report incidents of sexual harassment by male colleagues. The problem addressed was the underreporting of sexual harassment in policing, a critical issue given the negative impact on victims and workplace culture. Connell’s theory of masculinity served as the theoretical framework, indicating how traditional power dynamics may negatively influence the likelihood of reporting. Using a correlational design, this study surveyed municipal, county, and state female officers in Northeastern Kansas to measure their perceptions of the effects of policy strength and supervisory support on the likelihood of reporting. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the strength of these relationships. Findings indicated that both policy strength and supervisory support were statistically significant predictors of reporting likelihood, with policy strength emerging as the dominant factor. Together, these variables explained 94.3% of the variance in reporting likelihood within this sample. The study's implications for positive social change include strengthening policy frameworks and supervisory accountability to foster transparency and safer work environments within law enforcement agencies.

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