Alice Stebbins Wells

First female police officer (LEGENDARY LADIES L.A.P.D)

Alice Stebbins Wells, was born on June 13, 1873 in Kansas. In 1909, she petitioned Mayor George Alexander, the police commissioner, and the city council to let her be the first women police officer. She was the first female police officer who had the power to arrest people in the United States. Alice did not get a uniform and she had no training. All they gave her was a badge and a first aid kit.

Alice was excited about becoming a police officer. She became the first president of the International Association of Policewomen. She encouraged more policewomen to be hired. She spent a lot of time travelling around the United States and Canada. She helped organize the International Policewomen Association in 1915.

Alice was named the first president of the Women's Peace Officer's Association of California in 1928. Alice Stebbins Wells retired in 1940. In 1957, August 17, our first female policewoman, Alice Stebbins Wells, passed away. She will always be remembered by the first female police officer in Los Angeles.

This is Alice's memorial. (www.ancestry.com)

Alice Stebbins Wells is my hero because without her (who petitioned the mayor, the city council, and the police commisioner), we might not have female police officers. Alice risked her life for other people. I think that is something I find in a true hero. I think she was caring and very helpful. She had a whole lot of bravery. Police officers are really smart and that is what she was. I wish she was still alive. Everybody looked up to her. I know that I do. Another thing is that she had a lot of courage. I would think that you would need courage, bravery, and to be smart to be a police officer.

Alice Stebbins Wells (3.bp.blogspot.com)

Now there are a lot of women who are police officers. I hope that there will still be policewomen and men. Maybe they might just have men or just women, but I have a pretty good feeling that we are going to have men and women. Maybe I will be a police officer when I grow up. Maybe you will too.