Women in the forces

Women first began to have a presence in the national police force in the early 1900s, and inspite of resistance to having women in the ranks, in the 60s they were allowed to join, but treated as a separate force. Finally, in 1973 women officers were finally integrated into the main force.

1914 the Headmistresses’ Association suggested the formation of a female police force to control the behaviour of young women. As a result, over 2,000 Women’s Patrols were formed and every night would tour public parks and visit cinemas in an attempt to prevent acts of immorality.

Margaret Damer Dawson, Secretary of the International Congress of Animal Protection Societies, was another who was concerned about the behaviour of young women. With the support of Sir Edward Henry, the Chief Commissioner of Police, she formed the Women’s Police Volunteers (WPV). The government had always opposed the idea of policewomen but with the outbreak of the First World War and large numbers of policemen joining the British Army, it was considered a good idea to have women volunteers to help run the service. Another reason that Dawson’s proposal was accepted was that her members were willing to work without pay.

Dawson wanted a uniformed organization of women to deter pimps and discourage young women from entering prostitution, whilst Boyle wished to take advantage of the war situation to put women temporarily in men’s places, with the expectation that their usefulness would lead to their permanent continuation after the war.”

In 1915 Dawson renamed her organisation, the Women’s Police Service (WPS). At first the WPS concentrated its work in the London area. Wearing a dark-blue uniform, the WPS were assigned responsibilities such as looking after the welfare of refugees.

Grantham in Lincolnshire became the first provincial town to form a branch of the Women’s Police Service. Impressed by the achievements of the WPS in Grantham, two of the women were made full members of the police force. In a meeting held in November, 1915, the Bishop of Grantham praised the work of the WPS and called for a national Women’s Police Force.

In 1916 the Admiralty recruited a member of the WPS as an undercover worker in an attempt to expose spying and drug taking at the Scapa Flow Naval Base. The Ministry of Munitions also used the WPS to search women workers at its factories. At Gretna, near Carlisle, over 9,000 women were employed to produce munitions and 150 members of the WPS had the responsibility of searching them when they entered and left the factory.
By 1918 WPS women were on duty in Edinburgh, Birmingham, Glasgow, Bristol, Belfast, Oxford, Cambridge, Grantham, Portsmouth, Folkestone, Hull, Plymouth, Brighton, Reading, Nottingham, London and Southampton. However, in many cases they were not sworn in as full members of the local police force and could not make arrests.

When the Armistice was signed, there were over 357 members of the Women’s Police Service. Commandant Margaret Damar Dawson and Subcommandant Mary Allen, asked the Chief Commissioner, Sir Nevil Macready, to make them a permanent part of his force. He refused, saying that the women were “too educated” and would “irritate” male members of the force. Macready instead decided to recruit and train his own women.
The WPS continued as a voluntary service but in February, 1920, five members, including Mary Allen, were charged with wearing uniforms too similar to that of the one worn by the Metropolitan Women Police Patrols. After a four-day hearing Macready won his case and the WPS were forced to change its uniform and its name. After 1920 the Women’s Police Service became the Women’s Auxiliary Service.

The Baird Committee on Women Police (1920) failed to recommend the WAS play any part in policing London, and although a WAS contingent made valuable contributions to the Royal Irish Constabulary during the Troubles, they were forced to suspend their activities in 1940, and were never revived.

From 1923 - 30, women police were fully attested and given limited powers of arrest. 1930 - 69, A4 Branch (Women Police) was established under a female Superintendent. In 1969 the Women’s Branch was dissolved in anticipation of the Equal Pay Act, although women police were still treated as a separate section of the service. It was not until 1973 that Women Police were integrated directly into the main force.

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