One of the first women in the United States to work in law enforcement was Alice Stebbins Wells. In the early 20th century, she became the first policewoman in Los Angeles.
She patrolled public spaces, such as skating rinks, dance halls, movie theaters, and penny arcades, protecting the most vulnerable people in the city. But how did she manage to break into policing?
Alice Stebbins Wells was born in Manhattan, Kansas, to well-educated parents who attended Oberlin College. After she was born, her family moved to Hiawatha, Kansas, where her father started a local newspaper. Once she graduated high school, she went on to study at Oberlin College just as her parents did.
By 1900, she began her career as a pastor’s assistant. She enrolled at the Hartford Theological Seminary and studied Old Testament history for two years.
During this time, she filled in for pastors on vacation at churches in and around Maine. She became the first woman to hold church services in that state.
She was offered a full-time position as a pastor in Oklahoma, where she met and married Frank Wells. The couple had three children together. At some point, the Wells family moved to Los Angeles.
From her experience as a pastor, Alice believed that women would be more effective at policing than male officers were in certain situations. This belief is what led her to speak up about the need for female officers.
If female officers went into entertainment centers, women and children in trouble might find it easier to ask for help, which could significantly lower causes of crime and immorality. And then, the male officers could focus on patrolling the streets and tackling more violent crimes.
Alice slowly gained support for her cause to lobby for her appointment as the first policewoman in Los Angeles. She convinced 100 influential community members to sign a petition, which she presented to the mayor’s office. She highlighted her background as a pastor in helping women and children toward the right path.
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On September 12, 1910, she secured her appointment from the police commissioner. At the time, Alice was 37 years old.
“I expect to introduce into municipal affairs the women’s point of view, which, added to the man’s, makes the perfect point of view,” said Alice. “If the world needed but one point of view, why were the minds of men and women made so radically different?”
Once she was hired, the police chief assigned her office space in one of the two jury rooms in the department building, where she could hold office hours and meet with victims. Her job was to enforce laws and maintain safety in public amusement spaces.
She wore a long dress and a coat with a badge pinned to her lapel as her uniform. She was not issued a gun or a baton. Instead, she was equipped with a telephone rulebook, a first aid chart, and the key to a telephone call box so she could report crimes.
She did not make as much money as policemen. She received a salary of $75 a month, while a policeman received $102.
As Alice continued her work, she recognized the need for specialized services and established a bureau for women who needed assistance. She also founded a missing persons department for women and children.
The position of policewoman was such a success that Los Angeles soon hired three female police officers and three police matrons. By 1915, at least 16 cities, including New York and Chicago, had appointed women to their police departments.
Alice stayed with the Los Angeles Police Department until 1940. After retiring, she continued to advocate for women in policing.
She died on August 17, 1957, at the age of 84. Thanks to Alice Wells, the U.S. now has around 96,000 female police officers.
