WOMEN POLICE .

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3043, 2 April 1917, Page 2

WOMEN POLICE .

(By -A. -Darnor Dawson, Commandant Women Police Service.) The women police service was fougd- ' ed in 1014, for the purpose of training a body of women' whicli might ho used as police in -the service of , the publio,- more especially as • protective and preventive agents among women and children. Ai that time _ there seemed little opening for a, practical demonstration of what women police ' could do. Thero wore still plenty of' ' policemen about tho streets; - and if ' the budding policewoman asked , the ' superintendent in clmrgo of a local '[ polico station whether she could make ' herself of use to him tho answer. was generally,: "Well, madam, there_ is not. much for yon to do here, this is such j 'a very quiet place. 'Perhaps j;ou could ' be of use round about'such' and such 1 a camp.". Other police officers, still r more sceptical, asked, the ' budding policewoman: "Well, madam, 1 and what do you think you could do?" ' ,In threo years the chango lias been 1 very rapid. •' Some, eight, or nine, large ' towns have placed trained policewomen ' as members; of their police_force._ The ' sphere aDd ' scope of their activities s 'has'also' steadily increased; but perhaps 1 tho biggest • department, in view- of '' tho present national emergency, is_ to ? be-found in tho demand for policewomen in munition factories. ; Here ' many hmidreds are required as soon as '' possible. ' Tho work is essentially preventive and protective. Tho girls aro young, ' high-spirited, and careless. Fortun- " ately for them, -, in many cases, they ! havo little imagination; and the sense • of danger is ■ an. unknown quantity: ' but in some cases their love, of fund and mischief leads' them to run serii ous risks, both to themselves and_ to 1 their co-workers. • .It is the principal ■ work of a policewoman to prevent and protect in this capacity. • • -| The training that tests them Lis • a 1 j stiff one.: Attendance at_ police -'courts' |to learn the procedure'of giving^and takI ing of evidence, etc., instruction.from 8 women inspectors on.; special.. duties. ' Instruction in various aspects of the 1 law relating to women and children is I given by kindly magistrates and:barris--0 ters. First aid, stretcher '.drill;, is also .. | important, to enable the policewoman 'to deal promptly with any emergency which may arise during patrolling work. , ! Practical patrol -work on the London | ;. streets teaches tho recruit how to i handlo cases tactfully, helpfully, firmly.' .. , '■ 1 ■ : Work in the factories for the policef woman, means a busy and interesting ) life. They are responsible for the 3 keeping of tho gates, tlio examination of, the workers', passes, the stopping and safe conveyance; of any strawrors ; or visitors who may bo women.. There aro generally two gates •to these factories, one controlled by men police, the other- controlled by women • police. Each works its own department on its owii lines with the utmost civilitv and co-operation between the two. Policewomen also patrol tho faotory area, which covers many miles in somo places and is divided into "beats." They protect the workers from tho rougher types, thus nrevent assault, etc. They also travel by the factory train and patrol stations to prevent rowdyism. They are there, if necessary (fortunatelv this comes hut rarely), to, keep order should signs of a strike appear. A great deal denends upon their goodwill and comradeship with the • operatives, the taot and broad-mindedness with which they prevent. trouble, and the firmness arid real authority which have to ho .shown when an exampje must he made of'some real wrong-doing - which woiild.'endan-ger'-the safety and livos of others. .Atmost of the factories the. women arej j sworn in, and have the. full powers of ' an ordinary constable.—"Daily News." ' A woman's trouble and how to over- ; come it! Not'one woman, but thousands ' of women, suffer keenly from Baper- - fluous hair and its disfigurement. "Ruema"' is the harmless and simple method , of freeing yourself entirely and ■ surely !} from this distressing trouble. "Rusma 1 ' , has been known to cure after many fail- £ ures and repeated disappointments, and s it can'he ÜBed in: the privacy of . your " own home without the slightest inconvenience. "Rusma" completely banishes G all superfluous hair, which never re- „ turns! - i Write to Mrs. Eullen, next Plunket j Nurses' Department, 3. Ob",irtenay Place, Wellington.—Advt.