Council Honors First 100 Female Cops

One hundred women received formal recognition from Philadelphia City Council on Thursday for their service as the first female patrol officers in the city. These officers joined the department after a 1976 court order compelled the Philadelphia Police Department to hire women for patrol positions.

The ceremony acknowledged the specific group that broke the gender barrier in 1976. Harriett Farr, a retired corporal and training officer, stated that she dreamed of becoming a police officer but did not expect it to happen. She noted that the early women were brave and bold in their determination to prove their capabilities.

Farr described the practical challenges the new hires faced from male colleagues. She said the department created difficult beats for them and assigned them to those areas without providing radios. Farr recalled that the women often went without lunch breaks and were left in the rain with no designated restrooms.

"They made up beats, they dumped us on beats without our radios," Farr said. "We never got a chance to have lunch, left us out in the rain never had place where we could go to the restroom. It was horrible."

Margie Watson, a retired detective, recalled the public reaction to seeing a woman in uniform. She described ringing a doorbell for her first assignment and being greeted by a young boy who was surprised to see a lady in a man's police uniform. Maria Watson, a retired officer, added that the women consistently proved their critics wrong.

Current statistics show that women now make up about 22 percent of the Philadelphia Police Department. The department has joined the national 30/30 Initiative, a commitment to increase the percentage of women in policing to 30 percent by 2030. Maureen Rush, a retired officer and former University of Pennsylvania Police chief, thanked the council for acknowledging the grit and labor of the early female officers.

Farr expressed pride in the women who followed them in the profession. The event concluded with retired and current officers celebrating the expanded opportunities for women in law enforcement.