Woman in Blue: United States First Police Woman
by Alice Stebbins Wells became the United States first police woman with powers of arrest. She opened the door for future generations of women in this field of public service.
In the 1880s police departments across the United States began hiring women to serve as jailors for women prisoners. These women were known as matrons, and had none of the benefits that police men had at at the time. They were more or less simply civilian employees of the police departments.
However, in 1909, a Los Angeles Social Worker by the name of Alice Stebbins Wells seeing a need for women police officers, petitioned Mayor George Alexander and the Los Angeles City counsel requesting the Los Angeles police department to pass an ordination hiring women to serve as police officers. The council did and on September 12, 1910 Wells became the first woman police officer with powers of arrest.
She was given no training simply handed a key to the police call box, a rule book, and a first aid book, and was sent to work.
She served first as a Juvenile officer and later her duties were extended to include the supervision and enforcement of laws concerning dance halls, skating rinks, penny arcades, and movies.
She designed and wore her own uniform, and became a public figure that was considered newsworthy by the press. Her obvious professionalism and dedication to the job, served to encourage the city of LA to hire more women police officers and by 1912 there were three women serving on the force.
wikipedia
In 1915 she started the International Association for women Police and by 1916 16 other cities across the United States had begun hiring women police officers.
Along with her duties as an active police officer Ms. Wells traveled extensively across the United States and Canada speaking about the need for women in police work, and encouraging the hiring of more women officers.
She retired from police work in 1940 having spent the last several years as the police historian for Los Angeles.
This woman defined the role of the police woman in the early 20th century and paved the way for future generations of women to engage in a field of public service that was once the sole realm of men.
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Post CommentPR Mace
On December 12, 2009 at 6:41 am
Outstanding article. Thanks for the look into history.
Christine Ramsay
On December 12, 2009 at 7:06 am
I enjoyed that trip back in time. I take my hat off to Alice. She did a great job of getting women accepted into the police force.
A good read.
Christine
cutedrishti8
On December 12, 2009 at 11:15 am
Thanks for sharing this information…She has guts to join the police force..
Ruby Hawk
On December 12, 2009 at 11:13 pm
She was a great leader and an admirable woman. She is the type of woman I like to read about.
Authoress Terry E. Lyle
On December 14, 2009 at 1:04 am
I enjoyed the history lesson of an admirable woman that has open so many doors for women in a field that was considered for men only.
Adam Eisenberg
On December 14, 2009 at 1:49 am
Great article. The history of policewomen and female officers is a fascinating one. Indeed, I just wrote a book about it called A DIFFERENT SHADE OF BLUE: HOW WOMEN CHANGED THE FACE OF POLICE WORK. It features three generations of women — white, black, asian, gay, straight — talking about the many challenges they face trying to work in the male-dominated police profession.
Joe Dorish
On December 14, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Alice Stebbins Wells was a real trail-blazer!
MartineP
On December 15, 2009 at 11:22 am
Great portrait! Pioneers in women’s rights are so often forgotten.