History of Women in Law Enforcement
Historical Background
1845 - First female Matrons hired by NYPD
1908 - First female sworn officer, Lola Baldwin. 1910 - Alice Wells hired by LAPD officially as a "Policewoman" 1912 - First female to make detective; Isabella Goodwin 1915 - International Association of Police Women is formed 1918 - First homicide detective; Mary Sullivan 1919 - First African American female police officer (NYPD); Cora Parchment 1968 - First female patrol officer; 1985 - First female police chief; Penny Harrington 1994 - First female African American police chief 2011 - Thirteen-percent of police officers were women |