SALISBURY — Sept. 12 is National Police Women’s Day. Women make up less than 12 percent of all sworn officers in the country, so it is essential that they are aware the opportunities that are there for them. For the second straight year, Corporal Shakya Jackson of the Salisbury Police Department organized an “appreciation luncheon” at the Salisbury Civic Center for women in law enforcement to convene and share what being an officer means to them over a meal.

“We just want to show our appreciation the women that we have and encourage more women to join the profession,” Jackson said.

Jackson sent the invitation out to the entire state, with help from the North Carolina Women’s Law Enforcement Association, which she is a member of. Fifty-four women attended the summit to discuss several topics about their own unique points of view. Officers from Salisbury, Cabarrus County, Wilmington and Winston-Salem came to be a part of this special gathering in order to learn about others and themselves.

Officers sat at tables in groups, allowing them to go over the following items: How do they encourage women to join the department? How do they motivate themselves and others? What keeps their drive going? What comes out of that dialogue enlightens those at the table and makes them that much more prepared to do their job well.

“My favorite part was just seeing different women from various agencies…Being around women who have different thoughts about law enforcement and being a woman in this profession,” Jackson said. “The more women people see, the more it will make them want to join the profession…As long as people see women are doing good things, that will make them want to come and join us.”

Cabarrus County Sergeant Marsha Williams, president of the NCLEWA, was the keynote speaker at the event. Williams joined the force in 1995 and has gone above and beyond to promote fairness within the department, she is currently pursuing a PhD. During her speech, Williams took time to bask in the significance of there being a national holiday that specifically honors who they are.

“As women, breaking glass ceilings in a male dominated profession, we have to take care of each other…With you being here, working in the capacity that you are working in, you give us a reason to celebrate today because this holiday is you,”  Williams said.

A good portion of the officers at the luncheon were from Rowan County and other nearby municipalities, but Lori Miller from the Hickory Police Department, drove an hour-and-half to get there. Miller has been an officer for 17 years and is a lieutenant in the support services division. When she heard about the luncheon, she was eager to participate and to hear from other women officers.

“Honestly, there’s not a whole lot of events like this for women. It can be pretty lonely to be a female in the field and to be able to gather with this many females in law enforcement, it just doesn’t happen,” Miller said.

While examining the talking points, Miller considered the advice that was brought up as very valuable to any woman looking to join the department.

“I wish I could go back and have somebody telling me some of these things back then. I think it’s helpful for people coming into the profession to hear from other women and their experiences and how they can do it and make it easier on themselves,” Miller said.

While Jackson says she is hopeful about the future of women in law enforcement, Miller has her doubts and believes there’s still plenty of work to do.

“We don’t have a lot of females apply for the profession. I know the goal, the 30×30 initiative, to have 30 percent by 2030. We have to have females apply to do that. I would like to say it’s moving in the right direction, but I’m not seeing it right now,” Miller said.

Jackson says she plans on having this be an annual event going forward.