The first-ever policewoman served with which department?

The first-ever policewoman served with which department?

• A. New York Police Department
• B. Chicago Police Department
• C. Los Angeles Police Department
• D. Philadelphia Police Department

Answer: (C)

The key idea is identifying who first hired a sworn policewoman in a U.S. city department. In 1910, Alice Stebbins Wells joined the Los Angeles Police Department, becoming the first woman officially serving as a police officer in a major city department. She helped establish the department’s Women’s Bureau and championed roles for women in policing, particularly in cases involving women and children. While there are other historical claims about women in policing, the milestone most widely cited is Wells’s appointment in the LAPD, which is why this department is recognized as the first-ever policewoman’s department.

The key idea is identifying who first hired a sworn policewoman in a U.S. city department. In 1910, Alice Stebbins Wells joined the Los Angeles Police Department, becoming the first woman officially serving as a police officer in a major city department. She helped establish the department’s Women’s Bureau and championed roles for women in policing, particularly in cases involving women and children. While there are other historical claims about women in policing, the milestone most widely cited is Wells’s appointment in the LAPD, which is why this department is recognized as the first-ever policewoman’s department.