The role of gender has been shown to be important in numerous academic fields. This is the case for the study of risk perception and the study of policing. Within the risk perception literature, it has been consistently found that women tend to perceive higher levels of risks compared to men. Similar results remain even when factors such as education and knowledge are controlled for; such as examining specific occupation groups such as scientists, where a gendered driven risk perception gap still exists. The effect of gender is less consistent when examining police officers' behavior. However, there is a noticeable lack of studies that focus on the study of risk perception among police officers with an emphasis on gender effect. Thus, this research is an attempt to bridge the gaps between the two fields via the investigation of whether gender difference in risk perception occurs within one particular occupation - police officers. Two police departments from a city in the Mid-West were selected for this study. Surveys, both by paper and electronically, were administered to the departments. The survey examined officers' perception of risk in relation to work related hazards and hazards encountered in daily civilian life and related factors (such as worldviews). The survey was adapted from previous studies on risk perception and the "White Male Effect". The results of the research will expand existing literature from a theoretical and practical viewpoint: theoretically, it will expand the knowledge on how risk perception is viewed in occupational groups working under a higher-risk environment and the role that gender plays in this process. Practically, it will provide new information to aid policing agencies in addressing potential gender gap in risk perception related to work activities.
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