The underrepresentation of women in senior ranks within policing is a longstanding and persistent issue. Despite decades of examination and incremental policy changes, women continue to face significant structural and cultural barriers to advancement. Prior literature has extensively documented where change has been attempted, yet meaningful progress remains elusive. Using the tools, such as the Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) and the Viable Systems Model (VSM), provided an opportunity to examine the recurring systemic and cultural themes that inhibit women's advancement in policing. It is proposed that applying CLA, VSM and Meadows Leverage Points framework to the barriers facing women in policing will expose deeper systemic assumptions and cultural impediments that conventional approaches have failed to address, thereby informing more effective and sustained strategies for change. A comprehensive literature review was conducted along with statistical analysis of women in rank, including age and time-in-rank data. CLA was applied to surface underlying assumptions and cultural narratives, while the VSM was used to map systemic functions and identify where there lies opportunity to glean meaningful and timely information to disrupt biases to women's career progression. Meadows leverage points theory was drawn upon to identify where interventions within the policing system would yield the greatest potential for transformative, rather than superficial change. The CLA revealed recurring themes not previously synthesized in this manner, exposing deeply embedded cultural barriers. Meadows' framework further illuminated that lasting change requires intervening at the level of the system goals and paradigms, rather than through isolated policy amendments. The VSM identified the need to use Audit and Optimizations on an on-going basis to better understand the system. Overall, these key areas - specifically Traits, Selection, and Performance paradigms - identify where the biases affect women in policing and hinder their advancements. These findings underscore the need for ongoing and structured auditing of policing institutions using tools such as the VSM, and for continued critical inquiry directed at organizational leadership. Informed by Meadows’ insight that the most powerful leverage points lie in shifting the mindset and goals that drive a system, a shift away from reactive policy toward proactive systemic diagnosis is essential to meaningfully advancing gender equity in senior policing ranks.