THE FIRST SPECIAL POLICE WOMAN IN SAN FRANCISCO.

White Ribbon, Volume 24, Issue 284, 18 February 1919, Page 7

THE FIRST SPECIAL POLICE WOMAN IN SAN FRANCISCO.

Perhaps you would like to know how 1 became the first sinwial policewoman in San I rancisco? It is rather a long story, and time will not permit me to tell you all about :t, hut it grew • »ut of the fact that women were not allowed into the courts when trials were going on that is, trials ol a so-called “indecent character. A poor, frightened little girl had to go into the court room alone, where the judge and jury were men, and the visitors’ benches were filled with men; but a woman was pot admitted, on the plea of “decency.” We held a mass meeting to protest against this injusfee and demanded that women should he admitted; hut on various pretexts we were always shut out, first on one ground, and then on another. We then formed a committee oi women, representing 14 or 15 different associations and women’s < lulls, and this committee, of which 1 was made chairman made application to he allowed to give help a »d countenance to these poor children. These little girls were of all ages from 4 to 14 years. \\ e had at one time 100 children as witnesses on < barges made against fifteen men. The first of these men was on trial, and his lawyer claimed the right to shut out the women. I had had fifteen of these small child ren in my own personal care over ; weeks, and the judge said that he did not see w hy one woman at least should not be allowed to sit with the gir*s inside the court room. We were, how ever, all turned out. I went upstairs to tlie Chief of Police, and asked him for an order to enter the court, and lu* willingly wrote out such an order. I went downstairs and presented it. hut the attorney simply threw it int * the waste paper basket, saying that the Chief of Police had no authority over him. I went «Igain and saw the Chief, and hr said. “I don’t know what can be done. I wish we had women inspectors or women police.” (We had

been trying then lor over two years to have women inspectors, and he had given us strong support.) It then oc curred to the Chief that l must be admitted if l were made a police officer. The result was that he “sr.ore me in” as a special police other, and gave nu* a po ice star or badge, and I went down and was admitted. I then asked that another lady might sit with me, and the lawyer agreed, “as,” lasaid, “Mrs French was really the one he objected to.” That was how I became the lirsi police wom nin San Francisco. That stai It.is rever been taker, away from 111 c, and for over seven years 1 used it and it gave me acc'-s> to places where otherwise I could not have gone. Ihe White Slave tiattic was then at Us vc*i\ worst in America, and I could get into houses of prostitution to find young girls who were missing ; 1 could also go into homes and find out where the girls of large families slept, crowded into small qua iters, .ind with the pifiiee otai I could speak to loitering g rls on the streets at night, and send cu take tip m home.