She Became America's First Policewoman In The Early 20th Century

She Became America's First Policewoman In The Early 20th Century

One of the first women in the United States to work in law enforcement was Alice Stebbins Wells. In the early 20th century, she became the first policewoman in Los Angeles. She patrolled public spaces, such as skating rinks, dance halls, movie theaters, and penny arcades, protecting the most vulnerable people in the city. But how did she manage to break into policing? Alice Stebbins Wells was born in Manhattan, Kansas, to well-educated parents w…