VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA The police department of Vancouver appointed a police matron in 1912-the first woman employed in any Canadian police force. There are now 3 women police and one matron in that city. Among the duties of the women officers are: search for missing women, girls and children: enforcing of the law for compulsory venereal disease treatment; escort and custody of women and girl prisoners; investigation of all cases involving women and children-deserted wives, neglected or delinquent children, wayward girls and the patrol of parks, dance halls, and all amusement places. HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA Since April, 1917, women police have been employed by the police department of Halifax. At present there are 2 women police and 1 matron. The chief concern of the women police are neglected or delinquent children, wayward girls and deserted wives. IRISH FREE STATE DUBLIN Outside the Dublin Metropolitan Police Area, there are no women police employed in the Irish Free State. In March, 1917, 2 women police were first appointed to the Dublin Metropolitan 6 Communication from Secretary of the Department of Justice, November 14, 1924. Police. This number was subsequently increased to 4 and later 6, but in 1923 the number was reduced to 4, at which figure it now stands. These women are not attested as police constables and a week's notice on either side terminates the appointment. There is no provision for pension. Their chief duties are the suppression of prostitution and the investigation of complaints of indecency such as assaults and rape, white slave traffic, disorderly houses and charges under the Criminal Law Amendment Act. They are employed to detect cases of fortune telling, betting, gambling, and in all cases where their services can be used more effectively than those of policemen. They patrol the streets, usually in pairs, at hours deemed most desirable, mix with large crowds and visit large warehouses often at the request of the owners. They have proved very successful in detecting pickpockets and shoplifters. They point out such offenders to policemen who are usually in the vicinity and make the arrest, the women police acting as witnesses. NEW ZEALAND There are no women police in the Dominion of New Zealand.10 UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA Women are not employed in the police of the Union of South Africa.1 11 10 C. J. Parr, Minister of Justice, Wellington, New Zealand, November 26, 1924. 11 Commissioner of the South African Police, Pretoria, December 8, 1924. 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. 2 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. 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 8 Information received from the Czecho-Slovakian Red Cross in Prague. |