Policewomen: A History

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This book examines the history of policewomen from 1880 to 2012, particularly in the United States. It looks at the problems women had being accepted into the male police establishment and at the harassment and discrimination they often suffered from male officers.

For women in policing there were three distinct phases. First was acceptance into forces as police matrons, starting in about 1880 in a serious way. Second came their acceptance as policewomen (when that title was officially bestowed on them by employing forces), starting around 1910-1916. Third was the acceptance of female police as general duty officers, used interchangeably with male officers, beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Not coincidentally, a very strong and active women’s movement was the driving force behind all three phases. While women in policing have moved from matrons in 1880 to policewomen in 1910 (with extremely limited duties) to regular officers in the 1970s, they faced harassment and discrimination that only worsened as they drew closer to equality–conditions that persist today.