WOMEN POLICE.

White Ribbon, Volume 33, Issue 395, 18 June 1928, Page 1

WOMEN POLICE.

The demand for the employment oi women police is bas-xl upon the lat i that un ever increasing number o! young women and girls is being forced i>ut o>f the seclusion and security oi home life into the storm and stress of the public world, and that u situation is thus being created which demands ■'conscious social guidance. Then, since it is generally recognise*l that women are fitted by nature to assum* such duties as are indicated by this statement, it follows, as a matter of course, that there should be a movement to secure their employment <n a CHjiacity which would enable them t« give th ? needed “social guidance an«l protection. The idea that there were certain kinds of police work which could be undertaken by women better than by men was recognised in Great Britain as early as 1905, when a woman was attached to th*- London Metropolitan Police Force to conduct enquiries in cases of outrage on women, and es pecially in cases of children In th report of the Commissioner of Metropolitan Police, this appointment is referred to as follows: —“The children get very frightened, and it was found necessary . . for a worn oil to get hold of them and soothe them, ami to become expert in getting them to giv* evidence in Court.” For many y?ars. In England, the care of women and children while in custody and liefore Magistrates, as well as their escort, have been entrusted to women, principally the wives of policMiien, or women called in as occasion required. Then it was found desirable to nwik*this a whole time appointment, anil

the term “police matron" has applied to th»m. Before the World War there was considerable agitation in many sections of England for the employment of women police, but with little result. Early in the war, how *ver, separate movements for women police sprang into being. These were the Women Police Volunteers, an organisation which later became thi Women s Police Service, and later still the Women’s Auxiliary Service, and the Women Patrols of the N.U. of W.W. of (beat Britain and Ireland. the funds necessary being raised by public subscription. In 1916, an impetus was giv n to tin* movement when the Minister ot Munitions asked the Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police for a force of trained uniformed women police to plac? in the factory areas where large numl>ers of women were employed. The Commissioner replied that he had no such force, but would gladly recommend the Women's Police Service. This organisation supplied a force ot 98f> trained women, who did splendid service. The close of the war brought this state of things to an end. But in 1918 the Commissioner organised a force of Women Police for London, 100 strong I alter the number was reduced to F .O for reasons of economy. In his annual report for last year, the Commissioner s*ates: “Ther * ar« at present two inspe<-tors. five sergeants, and forty-two constables of the women police employed in the Metropolitan Polio - * restrict." In addition to th* women so employed in London last year, :t9 other towns m England and Scotland also employed women police. From (ireut Britain the movement

lias spread to the continent of Europe. au*l several countries ha\ * followed tin* example set. In the United States of America the movement for the employ inent of women police began simultaneously with that in <»r a at Britain, and the latest reports show that at least W»n cities employ staffs varying from 100 in New York to three or four in smallei communities. The women in charge of these units hold rank ranging from Deputy Commissioner to Sergeant. The United States has very high ideals in the matter of women police, and consider that they should have special training. The British Dominions employing women police &r j Canada and all the Australian States exeept Queensland In Canada they arc employed in Toronto. Winnipeg. Halifax. Edmonton, and Vancouver. In'Australia Perth employs 5. Adelaide 11, Muboutii' I. Hobart 1. »nd Sydney L With regard to the t\v> .pc-a ions Hi whether policewoman should wear uniform or not, anil (?l whether they should be given powers of arrest, pro > tice varies. British authorities con sider that uniform is essential, while in the United States the opinion is that it detracts from their usefulness On the subject of powers of arrest, not much information is available, but in I/mdon. Manchester. Sheffield, and Glasgow, the women police have full powers, including that of arrest. In other cities the practice varies. In view of the strong opposition against the movement in its initial stages, and even much later, it is interesting to note the opinions now given In his report for 1927. the Commissioner Of Police for the London Metropolitan Area says of the women

police: “All have perform si their duties m a satisfactory manner, ami have proved particularly useful in cases where ch'ldren and young people are concerned.” The Chi *f Constable of Glasgow reports: “Policewomen have proved entirely satisfactory, and are u necessary part of the Force." The Government of Australia, reporting to a Commission of the League of Nations on the employment of women police, states that “the result of the employment of women police in Australia has be*n entirely satisfactory, and it is now realised that they are a necessity. The Editor of the “Policewomen’s Gazette" having invited a number of eminent people to expre.7 an opinion on the subject, receiver.' a large number of sympathetic replies, from amongst which it wdl be sufficient to quote tin* following:— Mr Clarke Hall, Metropolitan Magistrate and President of the Shoreditch Juvenile Court, author of “Children’s Courts, ’ etc.: “I ent *rtain a very strong view as to the great value of the work of policewomen, and am particularly anxious that it should be extended amongst children." The Bishop of Ixmdon: “I have always believed in policewomen, espe- . daily as I think they are of priceless help to the poor girls in th** streets whom we are trying to help.” Chief Constable of Birmingham: “I do feel convinced that there Is a verj useful place for the service of women in connection with the Police KVm*e of the country, and I am strongly in favour of the establishment of police.” “The women police of Pirmingham have been of an immense amount 01 use, and we contemplate increasing thiir numbers in the near future.” The Chief Constable of Bolton concludes a lengthy and appreciative letter with the words: “I have never once regretted my advice to the Committee to appoint women police. They have fully justified their existence; and if ever the women police arc discontinued in Bolton it will not be on my recommendation.” The Bishop of Derby: “1 have always interested in the possibilities for good of the women police. The experiment was mads in Cambridge in 11*18, when 1 was Mayor, and the Watch Committee have never gone hack on the decision then made. The presence in