The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-10-23
ONLY WOMAN POLICE OFFICER
MRS. iIIIE STEBBINS WELLS
HAS Just Tor HER % iDGE.
Los Ang ele, Leads th@ " Sris Ia the Matter
YOUNG Girls wiz he Mrs. NelIs's
special Care and She Expects TO DO
Much Coed Against JOy HIdles.


Mrs Alice Stebbins Wells u los Angeles.
Cal IL the first woman - bc appointed
a police officer ln the United StateS She
was appointed on September ~ last and
her duii~~ will consist largely m looking
after the welfare ~ Young women and
keeping them out Il temptation. Chief
--.",way has been much pleased with
her work 80 far and. the department en-
JOYS the distinction IT having the only
woman police officer in the country The
chief believes that there is not another
instance like u IN the world.
In appearance Mira Wells ~ pleasing
Mil and kindly In manner al" can quickly
enlist the sympathy and TRUST IT the girls
she works among Sh" il small and slight.
but with a quick uutIrlug energy and
determination which has surprised her
superior officers Dressed IN ordinary
street attire very few know her yet 10y
sight Shc wears No police helmet. car
ries no club nr haudyufs. no revolver.
but when the lapel IT her olat ~ drawn
aside ih"ra nppear- her shining police
badsr the regulation shield Of the depart
meut IL - NJ las
In speaking Il her work Mrs Wells
said
when announcement was made ~ the
appoint ment - woman a regular
member Of police department the que~-
ton naturally Hro-n What hope inspired
~ What advance can be- expected
Once there were no polio" matruns
Now no city would b- without them. II
this new step were only commensurate
on the outside with the work Of the police
mat rons on the inside that H. the sympa-
thetic handling Of erring and unfortunate
women who come within the tolls of the
law there would be ample justification.
But the NOV ement ~ potentially far
greater
There ara many good women in every
city who would gladly do more toward
bringing about safer and better condi-
tons Il they knew Just What to do and how
n 20 about a. Their help IL needed.
Municipalities are always short Of funds
and the police departments In keeping
with every other. ar. und.rmann-d
The best they can do - to look after the
complaints which come IN and the viola
tons personally noticed The silent and
remSter wrongs - the women. the chil-
dran and the inoustrally oppressed often
T. unknown and unredre-~ed
INV NOttlHn diltINFfi To- 1tlr NoEh Ntlf-h
vested with the authority of the law can
hnd much to DO and direct others TO. II
u almos, impossible for any one not an
integral part OF the police department
to see clearly the tide of life sweeping
past to destruction. To know the made
auate laws provided and the hitility even
Of Law itself 10 stem the tide. lts surging
force - gathered from smaller Contrihu-
tory streams. many Of which must be- d.
verted by the intelligent cooperation -
noble women.
Girls are unframed IN the fine art q
home making with all It's sweet and re-
straining power unfinished in character
unskilled indU-trially, pitifully ignorant
as to the tremendous issues OF life, fashion
drunk a. with nev wine and keyed Ia an
excitemsnt Their mothers never dreamed.
These girls ard their name - legion b..
must look to women OF culture. wealth |
and social leadership for a healthier and
saner standard N tomorrow Il 10 he better
than to-day.
girls down nightly by thouza nds; other
thousands are selling their souls for hair
pufs pondefous hats and other ever
changing. -en=als-S fashions. With every
CITY possessing 'u" or more women 70 a
position 20 see and know these things and
empowered to e. ~ far a. law can 90. .
ORGANIZATIONS 81 splendid women. catch
ing the point 81 view. can set IN motion
such currents 81 sentiment and activity
A. shall do what no law can.
Los AnRels@ r"JuIce- ~ m" possession
~ a Mayor a council polio" commission
and A chief 0f polio" whose integrity u ,
character ana sincerity ~ purpp~" are
above question They courageuT-iy took
this step. knowing ~ no precedent either
In our uVn country nr any corner IT the
world II there h. auvNhere police do
nartment which already had = woman
police oHiCpr regularly appointed. paid .
and arnsnable 10 al IL rules they would I
ba glad 70 know ~
In ieu - such We arc quietly and pa
identity trying t. lay out tho hest course ~
action A. an innovation ~ this nature
might have been faretiously treated am
glad ~ N" opportunity 70 paw deserved
tribute
From III fling ~ the original rntition
nearly four months ago N IN" present
momCni tho-o has hoen only approval
courtesy and cordial cooperation on tho
part ~ m" host citizens. tho entlr" polio
newsnar~r~ Morr and NOR" must cities
sand togc'h"r and | horc that through
do appointm@nf ~ MANY women polio"
nfficers thor may - added another 80
the numerous h"lpful movements ~ OR
age.
4 lived scvo~al v"arsin Now York and
BROOKLYN and tho" probably sowcd
tn first soeds Which have I'D ~ 'h', row
work for wpTr0u ~ IA" W sSf. ! saw
much oT s.''l"r"'' life 'hr~o md reed
NJ yasf iuprov"m"nt= ~ N" condition..
Of tn r"ppl"
W h,i, IN Rr"oklvn l-al -t"d or" year
in tho pastoral work 0f Plymouth hurch .
During my cntt-,. r"s DOM" ~ Now York
and R-ooklvn 7 took % s,,"n interest ~
mission work folluwinC ~" methods 81
JnCOh Ril~ and 0'h'-S Should I -c'urn
20 Now York ! should tau" NJ IA" Sane
liz" ~ work 'h'-' ~ | am doing horo
As ~ N" ."'l mnity" which prompted
me- 10 take m This n"ld IA In Angeles
from m" study - city problems tone.
raant hpu-. conditions. - - hut st"p
IN tho mpd"rn rt"w = ririnDlugy which
recogn.l "s social. physical and economic
conditions A. uirt ~ IN" problem 4
crime tn" I'D" IN setting IN strongly
toward rr"you'iy" and Cor-ootIy" fnra@-
ir"- and ! wished "a T." among IN" first
10 help work II out along practical liG'- .
ITO m this work u = daufol and .
important part Of applied Christianitv .
Tho part ~ my work dealing with public
afnusem"n's ~ not primarily n" protect
individual unless absolutely --arv.
hut n -" that tho" place are kept az"
and Wholesome and 30 that tH"y may