Alice Stebbins Wells
Encyclopedia
Alice Stebbins Wells was the first American-born female police officer in the United States
, hired in 1910 in Los Angeles. Marie Owens
, born in Canada and of Irish descent, was the first female police officer in the United States
, hired in 1891 in Chicago.
In 1908 Lola Greene Baldwin had been sworn in by the city of Portland
, Oregon
, "to perform police service", but not as an officer.
Previously a minister in Kansas
, Wells joined the Los Angeles Police Department
after petitioning the mayor
, police commissioner
and the Los Angeles city council in order to better aid other women and children who were victims of crime. Wells went on to become the founder and first president of the International Association of Police Women, and travelled America and Canada
to promote female officers. Having been sworn in on September 12, 1910, Wells eventually retired in 1940.
s and dance halls, as well as interacting with female members of the public. Two years after Wells joined the force, two other female officers were sworn in, with all female officers now under the control of the Civil Service. Sixteen other cities and several foreign countries hired female police officers as a direct result of Wells' activities by 1915, when Wells created the International Policewomen's Association.
created the first course dedicated to the work of female police officers in 1918, and Wells was made the first president of the Women's Peace Officers Association of California in 1928. In 1934 she was also made the LAPD historian, and by 1937 there were 39 female officers in the LAPD, and five reserves. Wells remained the department's historian until she retired on November 1, 1940. She spent many years travelling the United States and Canada, promoting the use of female police officers, and is remembered for having "fought for the idea that women, as regular members of municipal police departments, are particularly well-qualified to perform protective and preventative work among juveniles and female criminals." Wells died in 1957, and her funeral was attended by high ranking officers from the LAPD, and a ten-woman Honor Guard
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, hired in 1910 in Los Angeles. Marie Owens
Marie Owens
Marie Owens is believed to have been the first female police officer in the U.S., joining the Chicago Police Department in 1891, and retiring in 1923. Holding the rank of Sergeant, Owens enforced child labor and welfare laws. She was born in Canada as the daughter of Irish immigrants....
, born in Canada and of Irish descent, was the first female police officer in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, hired in 1891 in Chicago.
In 1908 Lola Greene Baldwin had been sworn in by the city of Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, "to perform police service", but not as an officer.
Previously a minister in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, Wells joined the Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
after petitioning the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, police commissioner
Police commissioner
Commissioner is a senior rank used in many police forces and may be rendered Police Commissioner or Commissioner of Police. In some organizations, the commissioner is a political appointee, and may or may not actually be a professional police officer. In these circumstances, there is often a...
and the Los Angeles city council in order to better aid other women and children who were victims of crime. Wells went on to become the founder and first president of the International Association of Police Women, and travelled America and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to promote female officers. Having been sworn in on September 12, 1910, Wells eventually retired in 1940.
Early career
Since 1891, law enforcement agencies had employed women only for the care of female prisoners. After Wells successfully petitioned for a place on the LAPD, she was hired and equipped with a telephone call box, a police rule book and first aid book, and the "Policewoman's Badge Number One". Wells was assigned to work with the LAPD's first juvenile officer, and was quickly the subject of an order issued by the force that ruled that young women could now only be questioned by female police officers. Wells began her career supervising skating rinkSkating rink
A skating rink may refer to:* an ice rink used for ice skating* a roller rink used for roller skating...
s and dance halls, as well as interacting with female members of the public. Two years after Wells joined the force, two other female officers were sworn in, with all female officers now under the control of the Civil Service. Sixteen other cities and several foreign countries hired female police officers as a direct result of Wells' activities by 1915, when Wells created the International Policewomen's Association.
Nationwide publicity and retirement
The appointment of Wells attracted nationwide attention. In 1914, she was the subject of a biographical film entitled The Policewoman. The University of CaliforniaUniversity of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
created the first course dedicated to the work of female police officers in 1918, and Wells was made the first president of the Women's Peace Officers Association of California in 1928. In 1934 she was also made the LAPD historian, and by 1937 there were 39 female officers in the LAPD, and five reserves. Wells remained the department's historian until she retired on November 1, 1940. She spent many years travelling the United States and Canada, promoting the use of female police officers, and is remembered for having "fought for the idea that women, as regular members of municipal police departments, are particularly well-qualified to perform protective and preventative work among juveniles and female criminals." Wells died in 1957, and her funeral was attended by high ranking officers from the LAPD, and a ten-woman Honor Guard
Honor guard
An honor guard, or ceremonial guard, is a ceremonial unit, usually military in nature and composed of volunteers who are carefully screened for their physical ability and dexterity...
.
External links
- History of the LAPD: Women in the LAPD Los Angeles Police DepartmentLos Angeles Police DepartmentThe Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...