Historical Background of Policewomen's Service

As early as 1880 the movement for women police was promulgated by such national bodies as the Federation of Women's Clubs, the National League of Women Voters, the National Women's Christian Temperance Union; and by local associations and clubs, including social agencies operating in the protective field; and by social hygiene groups.'Also active were the Men's City Clubs of Chicago and Philadelphia.According to Mrs. J. E. Barney in her reports of the work in prisons, jails, police, and alms homes, During the last half of the nineteenth century, women's organizations manifested an interest in securing the appointment of women for the special handling of women and girls held in custody by law enforcing agency-police, sheriffs, superintendents of jails, detention homes, institutions for the insane, and any publicly controlled institutions.The records show that in 1845 two such appointments were made, through the interest of the American Female Society and two matrons were appointed in New York City at the City Prison (The Tombs) and four on Blackwell's Island-the first prison matrons in this country.Particularly active in the field of organizations to secure women in the service, was the Women's Christian Temperance Union.Their early records report that in the 1 8 70's prominent members of that group in Portland, Maine, visited the women prisoners and attended court, and in'1877 they employed a paid visitor.Soon one-half of her salary was paid by the city.The next year the city paid her salary in full, and she became a police matron. 2 The significance of these early appointments of police matrons is important because they were the first mark of official recognition of the idea that women prisoners should be handled by women.Chloe Owings, in her book, Wometi Police, traces the history of subsequent appointments of matrons as follows:Through the efforts of this same organization (referring to the Women's Christian Temperance Union) other cities appointed police matrons in the following order: Jersey City, New Jersey,