Holland Hungary Italy Latvia Lithuania Norway-Poland-Roumania Sweden Switzerland. This chapter on Continental Europe includes the information available on the women police movement in that part of the world. There is no printed matter obtainable concerning the countries omitted and replies were not received to letters asking for information. AUSTRIA In this country at large there is said to be close cooperation and collaboration of the Police and the Voluntary Organizations, a situation which the women's organizations consider a justification for advocating the appointment of women police.1 Information is available for Vienna only. 1 Proceedings Sixth International Congress for the Suppression of Traffic in Women and Children, held at Graz (Austria) in September, 1924, and special notes on the Congress communicated by Miss Annie Baker, Secretary, International Bureau for the Suppression of Traffic in Women and Children, 2 Grosvenor Mansions, 76 Victoria Street, London, S. W. 1. Price 7s. 6d. net. (Delegates from 25 countries, 12 of whom officially represented their governments.) VIENNA The Chief of the Vienna Police, Dr. Bruno Schultz, approves of women police for the detective and emigration services as well as for the work which they already do, but is not convinced of their value for street patrol.2 Police Commissioner Hans Schober, formerly Chancellor, strongly advocates women police physicians, detectives and relief officers for the families of detained or convicted persons. In 1918, 60 women, mostly relatives of men police officers were admitted to the lower (presumably clerical) functions in the police service. There are today no women in the uniformed and detective services. Of the 1200 persons employed in the other departments 400 are women, most of whom are working in the office and administrative services, and 17 are assistant directors in the offices. In the Police Relief Office, there are 3 separate divisions where women are detailed: The Juvenile Relief office, the Police Juvenile Home and the Department of Probation and Parole. Six women are assigned to the Juvenile Relief office which is concerned with the protection of children against cruelty and neglect. The women officers investigate the cases of all such minors and make the necessary arrangements for their family and social adjustment. In the Juvenile Detention Home, for minors, up to eighteen years, there are 4 women matrons under 2 International Woman Suffrage News, May, 1924. a woman superintendent. One woman officer in a third division acts as probation and parole officer. In May, 1924, she had 56 minors under her supervision. Other women officers are detailed to the following duties: 1. Cooperation with Temperance Societies in the reclamation of the intemperate. 2. Work with young girls in the Morals Bureau. The work for girls under eighteen is carried on by investigators operating under women supervisors. A University woman is responsible for the work with girls over eighteen. BELGIUM Belgium has developed its work for the prevention of delinquency to a high degree in connection with its juvenile courts and other institutions for the care of children and adolescents. She is experimenting with one woman police at Antwerp whose program of work is not yet definitely formulated. હૈ CZECHO-SLOVAKIA With the possible exception of Germany, CzechoSlovakia leads the Continental Countries in the number of women employed in actual police duties. PRAGUE The first woman was appointed to the Prague Police Department on January 1, 1905. Very few 3 Information received from the Czecho-Slovakian Red Cross in Prague. were employed until 1913. Their number is now 133. Exact information concerning the assignments of all of the women is not available, but their duties are reported to be the same as those of men officers of similar grade. Rank in the Department is determined both by preliminary education and years of service. There is a section for social work in the Prague Police Department where women are used exclusively for interviewing children and young girls, particularly in court cases involving sex offenses. DENMARK In Denmark agitation for the appointment of women police began as early as 1910. In 1914 Copenhagen appointed 2 women officers, 1 to the Morals Police, the other to the Welfare Department. In the former service the women police, who now number two, interview young women and girls and aid in the enforcement of the laws relating to compulsory treatment for venereal diseases. They are used only to a very limited extent in arrests and in raids on houses of prostitution. Three women officers now attached to the Welfare Department take statements from women and girls and do personal follow-up work with them, escort women and girls who are insane or who are. prisoners, investigate and attempt to adjust domestic and family difficulties, including guardianship of children, separation and divorce. In Denmark the women police are employed on the same conditions as the men officers and are trained in the State School of Police. They are usually over thirty-five years of age and wear no uniform. ICELAND The Government of Iceland employs no women police.* ESTHONIA In 1924 the question of women police was discussed widely in the Esthonian Press. A conference was arranged with the Department of Public Welfare, but the request for the appointment of women police was pronounced premature and was refused. At the present time, therefore, there are no women police in that country. Certain private associations employ social workers who act as protective officers, but without police power. FINLAND® The first 2 women employed in Police departments in Finland were appointed in March, 1907, in Helsingfors. The number employed in that city is now 5. In other towns, especially the larger ones, women have been added to the police force. 4 Minister of the Interior, November, 1914. 5 Communications from the Esthonian Red Cross, March 10, and May 7, 1925. • Report from Mr. Gunnar Sahlstein, Minister of the Interior, forwarded by the Secretary of the Finnish Legation in Washington, D. C. |