women pioneers of the minneapolis police department 1890 – 1990
The first role in policing open to women was the role of Police Matron. Police Matrons were responsible for women and juveniles while they were in jail or in court.
The first woman member of the Minneapolis Police Department was Emma Louise Paine. She was a Police Matron.
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The second woman member of the Minneapolis Police Department was Sara Schaeffer. She was a Police Matron.
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The next role in policing open to women was the role of Policewoman. Policewomen were responsible for youth under the age of 17 years. The duties of the Policewomen included the enforcement of curfew and child labor laws and the prevention of juvenile crime through advice to youth and their parents.
The first Policewoman of the Minneapolis Police Department was Georgiana Sharrott.
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The second Policewoman of the Minneapolis Police Department was Etta Clawson.
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By 1928, Policewomen had proven to be so effective in their role that under the direction of Chief Frank Brunskill, a Policewomen’s Bureau was established.
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In the 1970s, women like Retired Lieutenant Shirleen Hoffman worked to open up the role of Patrol Officer to women.
