MAWLE: Massachusetts Association of Women in Law Enforcement

Massachusetts Association of Women in Law Enforcement

Join the MAWLE Mailing List

MAWLE is an organization that strives towards professionalism.
MAWLE is a forum for the exchange of information.
MAWLE is a network and support system, a reliable source of information and referral for women in the profession.
MAWLE enhances the image and recognition of women within the law enforcement profession.

Home | Contact | Join | History | Volunteer

History of MAWLE

MAWLE: In The Beginning...

MAWLE Conference

MAWLE began with the fusion of two organizations in the fall of 2003 and early winter of 2004. One was an organization dubbed “Women In Blue”, a collaboration of Boston and Brookline police officers. The other was a small informal group of females from the Massachusetts State Police, looking to organization a professional women’s police association. Both together, with their similar goals and objectives, became the Massachusetts Association of Women in Law Enforcement (MAWLE).

MAWLE was formed to keep women in the field of law enforcement informed and connected to each other, all the meanwhile focusing on the positive aspects of women in law enforcement.

MAWLE Conference What We Learned...

MAWLE recognizes that since its inception, its growth and strength has been due to the efforts and contributions of its membership.

Our membership is diverse and varied, representing a wide-range of departments and agencies across the Commonwealth, including (but not limited to): Boston Police Department, Brookline Police Department, Concord Police Department, Criminal Justice Information Systems, Harvard University Police Department, MA Department of Corrections, MA Park Ranger Mounted Unit, MA State Police, Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Peabody Police Department, Watertown Police Department, and the list goes on…

MAWLE: The "Organization"

Early on, MAWLE recognized that there were many more women in the field of law enforcement than solely those within police departments, especially the numbers either employed or affiliated with various agencies and other departments that exist within the field of law enforcement. These women, along with the women in uniform, contribute significantly to their respective agencies and they often share similar experiences.

Therefore, MAWLE was created not solely as a sworn-officer organization, because of the vital expertise and opinions of many of its non-sworn members. Their contributions have been significant in promoting the mission of our organization.

As a result, the MAWLE of today is a vibrant and diverse organization representing women from all areas of law enforcement, including (but not limited to) local police department, campus police departments, corrections, the judicial systems, and other agencies in the field of law enforcement.

MAWLE is not and does not aspire to be a collective bargaining unit. However, we do recognize the benefits of collaboration with unions in issues that affect our membership.

MAWLE is an organization that is committed to making positive changes in the law enforcement community within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

MAWLE's Objectives

To promote professionalism among women who serve in the field of law enforcement through education, training, and mentoring.
Provide a forum for information exchange between women in law enforcement
Act as a network and support system for women in law enforcement
Serve as a resource for issues that affect women in the profession of law enforcement
Foster formal and informal working relationships between its members
Enhance the overall image and recognition of women in law enforcement in the communities they serve.