WOMEN POLICE

Otago Witness, Issue 3330, 9 January 1918, Page 48

WOMEN POLICE

GROWTH OF THE FORCE. Concerning the women polico service—which is entirely distinct from the organisation known as Women Patrols—the London Daily .Telegraph gives some interesting details. In the report of 1916-17 it appears that the number of trained police women up to July last was 612, and additions wero being made daily. It is in response to the Ministry of Munitions that, the service has attained its present dimensions, but there is no doubt (says the report) that the work which these. women are able to carry out in the various metropolitan and provincial districts is doing much to prove to magistrates and authorities that there is a sphere of. activity for a permanent force, and that police women can bo trained to carry out their official duties in a responsible and effective manner. Training consists of drill, attendance at Police Courts to learn the procedure of the court, and how to take and give evidence, first aid, lectures on civil and criminal law (especially the Acts relating to women and children), patrolling,-and domi. ciliary visiting. On this subject the report states: "To those of us who have been engaged in the training of some 700 women since 1914 it has come as something of a surprise to realise how little our country women know of the laws affecting women and children, and of the regulations in force for the carrying out of these laws. We are able to report many cases where the police women have given instructions and advico to women, who will come gladly to a fellow woman for help, but who would not be induced to apply to the male police. We think that the existence of a large force of trained pouoe women throughout the country would tend to d'spel a great deal of this ignorance, and would act favourably on the protection of children." With regard to factory work, the marked success which has attended the organisation has resulted in almost daily ap plication for polico women for factories situ ated in every part of the United Kingdom. "Wo are sure," says the report, "that our patrons and subscribers will feel as proud as we are of the intrepid police women who for the past 14 months have been carrying out these duties, which have called forth qualities of courage, tact, discretion, and endurance. . . . We would call attention to one factory from which both military and male police guard have been withdrawn. The factory employs several thousand women in the manufacture and disposal of some of the most dangerous explosives. When an air i;aid is in progress the operatives arc cleared from the factory, and the sheds and magazines are left in sole charge of the firemen and police women. They all know that they hold their lives in their hands, and no women has ever failed at her post or shirked her duty in the hour of danger." The fund 3 for training the munition factory police women come from the Ministry of Munitions, but the training of. women for the ordinary police duties has to be met out of funds subscribed by supporters of the movement. Rescue work is a specialty of the polico women and a great number of sad cases have been attended to-by the members of the organisation.