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Questions and Answers
Alice Stebbins Wells was the first female police officer with powers of arrest.
Alice Stebbins Wells was the first female police officer with powers of arrest.
False
The International Policewomen's Association was formed in 1956.
The International Policewomen's Association was formed in 1956.
False
Women primarily worked as patrol officers in the early 20th century.
Women primarily worked as patrol officers in the early 20th century.
False
Mary Owens was the first female police officer hired by the Chicago Police Department.
Mary Owens was the first female police officer hired by the Chicago Police Department.
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The FBI was formed in the 1950s.
The FBI was formed in the 1950s.
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Lola Baldwin was sworn in as a female detective in New York City.
Lola Baldwin was sworn in as a female detective in New York City.
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Women's employment in policing increased during the Great Depression.
Women's employment in policing increased during the Great Depression.
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The NYPD hired women as police officers in the late 1800s.
The NYPD hired women as police officers in the late 1800s.
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In 1968, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department assigned responsibility for Car 47 to the nation's first male patrol officers.
In 1968, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department assigned responsibility for Car 47 to the nation's first male patrol officers.
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Title VII of the Civil Rights Act was implemented in 1968 to outlaw gender discrimination in public agencies.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act was implemented in 1968 to outlaw gender discrimination in public agencies.
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JoAnne Misko and Susan Malone became the first fully sworn FBI agents in 1968.
JoAnne Misko and Susan Malone became the first fully sworn FBI agents in 1968.
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Penny Harrington stepped up as Chief of Portland Police Bureau in the 1990s.
Penny Harrington stepped up as Chief of Portland Police Bureau in the 1990s.
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Beverly Harvard became the first black female police chief in Portland in 1995.
Beverly Harvard became the first black female police chief in Portland in 1995.
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The International Association of Chiefs of Police conducted a study in 1990 to identify barriers to female advancement in law enforcement careers.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police conducted a study in 1990 to identify barriers to female advancement in law enforcement careers.
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By the turn of the 21st century, the number of women in law enforcement reached nearly 50% of the workforce.
By the turn of the 21st century, the number of women in law enforcement reached nearly 50% of the workforce.
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Studies have shown that women are not capable of handling dangerous physical confrontations due to their lack of physical strength.
Studies have shown that women are not capable of handling dangerous physical confrontations due to their lack of physical strength.
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Study Notes
History of Women in Policing
- Women have been involved in municipal policing in the United States since the late 1800s, initially fulfilling specialist roles assisting and overseeing women and juveniles.
- In 1845, the NYPD hired two women to work as matrons in the city's two jails.
- In 1893, the Chicago Police Department assigned Mary Owens as a “patrolman”, primarily working with women and children.
- In 1905, Lola Baldwin was sworn in as a "female detective" in Portland, Oregon, with powers of arrest, focusing on crime prevention and social work.
- Alice Stebbins Wells, hired by LAPD in 1910, is considered the first female police officer “officially designated” as a policewoman, receiving badge number 1.
- Wells founded and became the first president of the International Policewomen's Association, promoting female officers across America and Canada.
- During the 1930s, women's employment suffered due to the Great Depression, and law enforcement shifted focus from social work to combating crime.
Mid-20th Century Developments
- During World War II, more women were hired in law enforcement, mostly in auxiliary roles like dispatchers or clerical workers.
- In 1956, the International Association of Women Police was formed to support female officers.
- In the 1960s, police departments increasingly needed women crime-fighters for undercover work in vice squads.
- In 1968, Elizabeth Robinson and Betty Blankenship became the nation's first female patrol officers in the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
- In 1972, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act outlawed gender discrimination in public agencies, including police departments, expanding opportunities for women.
Breaking Barriers
- In 1972, JoAnne Misko and Susan Malone became the first fully sworn FBI agents.
- In the 1980s, women like Penny Harrington broke through police departments' "glass ceilings", becoming chiefs of police.
- In 1994, Beverly Harvard became the first black female police chief in Atlanta.
- Today, over 300 women serve as chiefs of police in departments across the nation.
Challenges for Women in Policing
- Predictions that women would make up nearly 50% of the law enforcement workforce by the 21st century did not materialize.
- Despite studies showing women can perform all duties of patrol officers and excel in many areas, growth of women in policing has progressed slowly.
- Physical strength is often perceived as a limitation for female police officers, leading to questions about their effectiveness in dangerous physical confrontations.
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Description
Learn about the history of women's involvement in policing in the United States, from their initial specialist roles to their full integration into police forces.
