The Washington herald., 1920-07-25
THE PORT OF MISSING GIRLS !:
Policing the National Capital With Especial Regard Safeguarding of Young Women
Has Ghen Mrs. Van We the Opportunity Demonstrate the Need for the Department

ON THE top hoor Of the District of Co.
" lumbia municipal building there is
long narrow Office filed with the clatter Of
typewriters, the rustic of papers, the
low murmur of voices. At a large desk
sits tall, handsome woman, from whom
all the activities of the room seem to
radiate. There is certain delicate
hauteur about her features, a fascinating
stresslng Of consonants when she speaks,
"hlch make her personality unforgettable.
she wears a smart dark taffeta dress, with
SOFT lace collar and vest and trim kid walk
ing pumps.
She is Mrs. Nina c. Van winkle, d.
rector Of the Woman's Bureau of the Dis
trict Of Columbia Metropolitan Police De-
partment, and is rated as detective SER
geant,' but she is thought of as Chief
by everybody in the department, from the
patrolmen up to the chief of police himself.
As head Of the Woman's Bureau Mrs.
van Wrinkle directs an organization which
HHers from all other women's police div
SONS IN the United States in that it func-
uons as a unit. The eighteen women Of
hcers take their orders from Mrs. Van
"lnkle instead Of from the chief of police.
as Is the system in other cities.
The bureaus first claim to distinction is
Inc recognition it has received from noIice
departments in the larger cities in this corn-
Try and abroad despite a struggle against
lnsunclent funds and lack of interest on
'ne part OF the community in which it is
SIuaIeu. It's second claim is its records.
"hlch have elected commendation from
rmlnent sociolOgists. Its third claim is that
shelters young women from every mart
ot the United States. 1t has become tbo
Fort of Missing Girls.
Mrs. Van Winkle became dirac+o. - A.,
bureau February Il. 1919. succeedina NJ.
Marion Spingarn. who had been head of tho
organization Stree its inception on soDtor,
Oer 10, 1918. 4 wealthy woman of sooiaI
ralning and social instincts Mrs W.
NIKE cnose to use her capabilities vbers
'hey were most needed. She had botb tboo-
,e'icaI and practical experience and had
Oeen director OF a girls reformatorv Re-
cause OF her independent means sbo rvos
aole TO use her salary in the work of thu
bureau u 'ne
"T1HE poIicewoman generally is con.
III tHe puOuc mind with the
police matron." Mrs. Van Wrinkle said re-
Gently. As a matter of fact their duties
nre entirely different The police matror
mas existed for fifty years and attends
merely to the physical wants of the women
IN her care. The policewoman, on the other
hand, Is in large measure responsible for
me future social status of the offender whom
>he arrests. The broader the lines NJ her
education. both general and specialized the
more efficient and socially valuable she
becomes"
As general policewomen. the force of +bs
bureau functions just as the policemen do.
save that they are particularly concerned
with the women and girls. Their duties in
ciude the detection and apprehension Of
CRIMINALS, sex offenders, vagrants and sbon-
Ltters; helping the courts BY furnishing
judges and prosecutors with the results of
their Investigations; caring for the socially
diseased women through voluntary and court
commitments to hospitals; co operation with
the men of the police department in securing
information, by being present with female
offenders at the Identification bureau and by
Interviewing and searching female prisoners.
The women officers patrol the streets as
10 the men. This is especially necessary
because Of the presence in Washington of
thousands of young girls working in the gov
crnment departments who are particularly
susceptible to dangerous outside influences