and the condition was well known in the city. The Precinct Captain and the City Attorney worked out a plan of action in which 2 women police, sufficiently disguised to cover their identity, walked in this section every night for two weeks. According to the plan, when men spoke, for the third time, to them, they stopped and listened to them, knowing that the captain and another officer were nearby, and they allowed themselves to be escorted to one or another hotel, proposed by the men, registered and went up in the elevator; at the hotel room door the captain and his aide appeared, speaking roughly to the women police, ordered them to "get out of town immediately." The woman police, be it admitted, went each time with trembling knees and were so exhausted after each arrest that they "got out" of the hotel and neighborhood with exemplary speed. They never appeared in court. Arrests were made every night for two weeks and the situation was cleaned up. So carefully was the plan followed, so earnest and so straightforward were the police and city attorney, that to this day the "news" has not leaked out which concerned the women police, even though the city press carried the "news" of the nightly arrests and daily convictions. The second assignment concerned a certain hotel which, in reality was a closed club frequented largely by students and commercial prostitutes, where a plan was again so carefully conceived and executed, that not only this place, but as a by-product, another even more pernicious place, was put out of business. Again the faith was kept by all concerned, and this time two city attorneys, the New Haven police, a student, an army man and 2 women police worked together. Such instances as these demonstrate that highminded women police have been used to great effect in such assignments with no attendant publicity, and with no need for their appearance in court. Many such cases are probably known to those concerned and remain hidden from the public except in rare instances where as in this case, the information is stumbled upon. After the cessation of war activities a Bill was introduced into the Connecticut State Legislature which proposed the appointment of women to the State Police as a permanent institution. The Bill was sponsored by the State League of Women Voters and by other women's organizations, but it failed to pass the Legislature and, the Connecticut State Women Police Service terminated March 1, 1919. Its promoters and sympathizers consider that it demonstrated the social value of a mobile corps of women police who are free to move about in an entire State and who are not subjected to the influences of strong local politics. CHAPTER X THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POLICEWOMEN In June, 1914, at the time of the National Conference of Charities and Corrections,' Mrs. Alice Stebbins Wells, policewoman of Los Angeles, California, asked and secured from the Secretary a place in the 1915 program for the presentation of the subject of women officers in police departments. On May 17, 1915, the women police in attendance at the Conference organized their Association of which Mrs. Wells was elected president. As then stated, the objects of this Association were "to act as a clearing house for compilation and dissemination of information on the work of women police, to aim for high standards of work and to promote the preventive and protective service by police departments." 2 Before launching this organization Mrs. Wells had enlisted the good will and support of the Inter 1 Now National Conference of Social Work. 2 Proceedings, International Association of Policewomen, 1916. *The organization was so named, according to its first president, because it was hoped that women police of all countries, where such officers were employed, would find, in this organization, a medium for mutual expression and exchange of experience. At the present time the membership is largely composed of women from Canada and the United States. national Association of Chiefs of Police through its president Richard Sylvester, and had secured a copy of the constitution of this Association using it as a model for the women's organization. A copy of the "objects" of this later association were submitted to and approved by the police commissioners of Baltimore, the Conference City. On her return journey to Los Angeles, Mrs. Wells, as president of the new association, reported officially its formation to the Convention of the Chiefs of Police, then in session at Cincinnati, Ohio. At the first meeting of the Association after its organization women police were present from 14 states-12 officers with all expenses paid by their cities. The membership roll of the Association included women officers from 22 states and Canada. Although ten years have elapsed since this meeting it is still necessary today to advocate some of the suggestions made at this time. Among them were: (a) work of women police officers should be largely preventive and protective; (b) need of trained women is urgent; (c) courses of instruction or Institutes of Social Sciences, in Schools for Social Work, with field work in police departments are needed; (d) proper legislation should be secured for the appointment of women police; (e) women's divisions should be established within the police department and officered by a woman with rank not lower than that of captain; (f) careful records should be kept and monthly reports of work should be made to the Department; (g) simple civilian clothes of dark color, preferably navy blue, should be worn on ordinary duty; certain special duty might require a uniform; (h) exchange of women officers by municipalities would provide for enlarged experience and would make for standardization of work and methods. It was suggested that an Educational Committee be appointed by the Association and that it should prepare: (1) a course of reading; (2) minimum educational and professional standards for women officers; (3) arrange for the presentation of the work of women police before as many as possible of the regional, state or national conferences in related fields, particularly before women's club gatherings; (4) publish periodical bulletins. The actual activities, as reported to the Conference by the various delegates, embraced practically all of the functions which enter into the proposed programs of work for women police today. The Association, as organized, called for a definite educational program. Nine district vice-presidents -8 covering the United States, and 1, Mrs. James Robinson, of Saskatchewan, Canada-were appointed to act as special agents in all matters pertaining to the movement in their respective territories. In addition to these district vice-presidents, there were three standing committees, Education, Program and the Auxiliary Committee. In 1917, Miss Damer-Dawson, of England, accepted membership on this last named committee. Through correspond |