City in Sound; Police Women

This is Jack Angel with City and Sound. These are stories out of Chicago. City of all things. Among them, the women's police. Angel with Sergeant Nathan. Okay, you want the police woman? Hold on a minute please. Now, yes, it's just fine. What is your name? And what is the address? And your complaint is abandoned children? Well, what do you mean abandoned? Do you know the people? There is a special shoulder patch of the Chicago Police Department bearing the designation WB. It stands for Women's Bureau. Is worn by the city's police women has come to be both a mark of respect and courage. Of those who wear it, there is this account. Lieutenant Marilyn Olson, I know you're in charge of the city's police women. What would be your formal

title? Lieutenant in charge of the women's bureau. And Lieutenant is as high as we go right now. Yes, sir. Is there any distinction between you as a police woman lieutenant and a regular lieutenant on the police force on the other side? No, sir, none at all. Same pay? Same pay. Does that follow through down the line? Yes, sir, all the way down the line of command and rank. Your women or police officers? Police officers in the fullest sense. How long have we had a women's division? The women's bureau in a sense has been in organization since February of 1947. Before them there were all isolated cases where women were assigned to the police force. There has been women on the Chicago Police Force since about 1897, but we were assigned to various units as individuals. And in 1947 they brought us all together in one group. So this is a regular division like homicide, robbery and various districts. How many police women are there? There are 116 of us in the women's bureau. Do you need more? We would like to have more.

What are your principal functions? Well, our main concerns throughout the city naturally is anything involving women or children. Whether it be along the lines of them being involved in a crime or whether they would be a victim. How about the function of counseling? I understand that police women in addition to being good police officers have this newfound function of counseling. Well, we find quite often in our district assignments that individuals in the neighborhood will command looking for somebody to talk over a problem with. It might be marital difficulties. It might be supervision of youngsters. Could be housekeeping problems or maybe financial difficulties. Sometimes we can help them at our own level. And in many instances we refer them on to the social agencies that can take over their problem. Well, this is an interesting function in that I don't think policemen have ever been subjected to that type of information or questioning. I

believe they are, but I think that's one of the functions of the department that most people don't realize that we're not just law enforcement officers, but we can be helpful in so many other ways. What special qualities are there that make for a good police woman? Well, I believe that one of the best qualities is a very lady like not only an appearance, but in actions very feminine in their ways, understanding interest in people, interest in their difficulties and their problems, and a good all around women. You feel that that really makes a woman tough rather than just a material hardness? Well, I don't think that any of us are tough in that sense. I think you'll find most all of the women are very, you might say, a sweet understanding type. Not hard boiled? No, not at all. That's why we're not so well known and we're not so well recognized. But in other words,

it's perfectly possible for a woman to be a very good police officer and be just a very good woman in the normal conventional sense from the standpoint of domestic relations. In that connection, I notice you have your bookcase lined with some handsome ferns. Those are very womanly, aren't they? Yes, there. What kind of ferns are those? Well, I believe they call it a variety of a palm. I'm not too much on the flowers, but they certainly do add to the appearance. Well, that's a woman's touch. How about that Billy Club over there adorned with the tassels? Where did that come from? That's it. Well, that was given to me when I was promoted to the title of Lieutenant. And it's just hung there for effect more than anything. I see. Very decorative. It doesn't have any blood on it or anything like that. No, that is off. How long have you been with the department? There'll be ten years this fall. And how long have you been in charge of it? Four years past.

Lieutenant Olson, it's been very nice chatting with you. I wonder if you'd show us around a bit. Thank you, I'd be happy to. Lieutenant John J. Nelligan is in charge of personnel and training for the police department. And such has been very interested in the woman's program for how many years, sir? Well, I've been in the training unit for 23 years. You've had a woman's force for what, ten of that? Well, we've had a woman's force really complete force since 1947. Well, how about training these women? I know that you have an ambitious training program. Is it roughly the same as the men? They receive the same training as a patrol, except they do not get traffic work. Everything else is covered by the training courses. Any particular type? Well, we would like to get college graduates that have studied criminology and psychology and sociology there about the best ones for being a police woman. I ask Lieutenant Olson this question. I'd like to ask a view. Do these women have to be tough? No, they don't have to be tough. We teach them judo, which makes them tough without being to show them it. They're pretty good at it. They're

very good at it. Part of the training. Part of the training, yes, sir. What other kinds of training do they get? Well, they get training in patrol, report writing, criminal law, city ordinances, rules and regulations of the department. And physical fitness. And we also give them military drill in first aid. In other words, a police woman is a police officer in every sense of the word. According to the city code and state statutes, they are police officers. They have as much power as a policeman has. Sergeant Rita meaty is on the desk here, but she tells me that she's not a desk sergeant. What is your title, sergeant? Sir, I'm a sergeant of police women. And I understand that there is one lieutenant on the force and one sergeant and you're the sergeant. Yes, sir. Our lieutenant is Lieutenant Marilyn Olson. Oh, just talk to her. Oh, what do you do here? Well, sir, at this particular desk, assignments are made to the women out in our districts. The girls call in, however, at 7 .45 in the morning, prior to attending roll call in various district stations where they are

assigned. Oftentimes, assignments are made to the women at that particular time or a stop orders placed on these women through the day with the street operator. Do they attend roll call with the mail officers? Yes, they attend roll call with the mail officers. They're all out in the district. Yes, they are, sir. They don't have any show up here or any roll call here as a group. No, sir. What kind of police work do you get into? Our police women, of course, patrol the districts which they are assigned to. They patrol the street the same as the men do. They assist the men on investigations. They interrogate for the men. They search female prisoners in the stations. They also escort female prisoners from their particular district into the women's lock -up. Excuse me, sir. Yes. Women's bureau, Sergeant Meeney. Policewoman Banks, will you proceed to the

fourth district station which officers call in McCarthy of the Narcotic Bureau? Yes, sir. You are to conduct an investigation with them at 4063 East 60 Second Street. Uh -huh. And then will you submit a report on your activities, please? Well, I didn't think there were any. Yes. Just a possibility in case some, you know, there might have been a small cabinet. That is correct. No. I didn't remember any of the things. Cohen, COE, and yes. Okay, but thank you. The fourth district, and that will be filed under station complaint number 437604. 437604. And thank you, sir. And oh, yes, on Sunday, by the way. Will you report to the Kelly Park? Capno Tool will hold roll call at 145 PM. You will receive instructions and assignment at that time. Yes. Yes.

It is Captain O'Toole. That's right on Sunday. And that will be in full summer uniform. Yes. And fine. And thank you so much. Lots of luck. Okay. Bye. Excuse me, Sergeant Mini. I heard you say that she was to be in full summer uniform. Do you have the summer and winter uniforms in it? Oh, yes, sir. We do. We have, we wear a navy blue skirt, brownie blue. And we have a short sleeve summer uniform shirt. Our winter uniform, following winter uniform, consists of a blouse. However, it's a long sleeve blouse. And a shirt, a navy pale blue shirt, ice blue x -way shirt. Navy blue shoes and tie. We do not wear ties to the summer tan. Well, you're wearing now kind of a combination, aren't you? Summer and winter uniform, a light

blue blouse and dark blue skirt. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. This lady, I think, wants to see you. Oh, yes. All the ways I've been so anxious to see you are in this Novak family case. Do you recall Miring Frank Novak, where arrested last December the 24th mayor. And they were charged with contributing as well as disorderly conduct after causing a disturbance in their home. I think perhaps if you will draw an F file and review it and contact please someone, Sullivan, out in that district and ask if she wouldn't kind of go out and make a follow -up investigation. And then to submit a report on her findings. I'll be glad to do that. Yeah. And, however, will you file that under station complaint, never please give that to her also. I'll do that. Great. Thank you so much. Sergeant Beatty, you know what was that? Were you making an assignment here in the office to whom? Well, that was to please someone Louise Ryan. Sir, you see, these cases, such as domestic problems, we do not drop the investigation or the case, however, after the case has been processed through court. This particular Novak family,

mother and dad Frank, I'm very replaced at nine months probation after causing this disturbance. There's a family problem there, which was a ticklish situation at the time. And because of children being involved and the neighborhood in general, we have attempted to follow through with this family. We haven't heard from them now in almost three and a half four weeks' time. We make routine investigations, follow -up investigations, that is. An officer Ryan, on your say so, is going to make the proper assignment. Yes, she's going to contact her. Please come to Selvin, who was now assigned to that district to go out on the investigation. I see. Okay, you have to go there, go ahead. Woman, girl, Sergeant Meeney. Oh, yes. Please come to Howard. A request has been made from a receipt rather from Lieutenant Blake of the 43rd District Station. A Mary Green, whose age 32 of a white, of 1104 North Lyman Avenue, was admitted toward

83 in the Cook County General Hospital. This one was assaulted by an unknown person. Well, you attempt to learn the circumstances involving the assault. And oh, yes, by the way, you will be assigned to the 4 -12 shift. And please, when Wilson will relieve you, and please make him Jones, will relieve Wilson. Will you relay any information you have learned to Wilson, and she can turn them to Jones and by the way, will you kindly call our office on anything you have learned so we can turn contact the 43rd District Station. Yes, there is a station complaint number and it's 437 -601. Yes? She is in the 83rd ward. Fine. That will be fine. Thank you so much. Goodbye. Just a few paces off the administrative offices here in the women's department. Top floor of the

police building in 11th and state is the women's lock -up. That's a great deal like any other lock -up except perhaps a little bit cleaner. We're standing in it now. That's kind of a cavernous sound. I think perhaps you can hear from the acoustics. One of the doors, cell doors, is open. There has been a pretty quiet night, and it is a pretty quiet day. There are, of course, prisoners being admitted. The police matron Mrs. Orangey -Tiller is about to admit one at this time, and we'll kind of listen in. What is your name, Miss? Betty Lou Morris. Betty Lou Morris? What is your address? 1160 West Taylor. How old are you? 25. You arrested a loan where you miss? No one was with me. No one was with you. Then you arrested a loan. And you arrested for causing a disturbance in a home. Had you been drinking? That's my birthday. Oh, it is your birthday. All right. Do you have any children? Three. Do you have a husband?

Yes. What is he at this present time? I have the slightest idea. Oh, you don't know where he is. No. Where are your children right now? With my sister. What is the name of your sister and the rancher? The rancher. The rancher. And she lives at the same address I live at. 1160 West Taylor. With whom do you live? With my children and my sister. How long have you lived at your present address? Five years. Do you receive any aid from cooperating agencies such as ADC, Chicago, Welfare, anything of that sort? I receive ADC. Oh, ADC. How much do you receive per month? $212. What is the name of your case worker? Mrs. Burling. Mrs. Burling? Are you under doctor's care for any serious illness? I don't know if you'd call it serious or not, but I do. What are you under doctor's care for? Sinus infection. Sinus

infection. What is the name of your doctor? I don't know. Any doctor that I get a hold of out there, the outpatient clinic takes care of me. What the hospital? Cook County. Cook County Hospital? So you had been drinking to celebrate your birthday? Yes. All right, Mrs. Morris, thank you. We will have to search you and fingerprint you and place you in custody for a while. Will you sign these cards, please? Do I have to sign them? They are fingerprinting cards. So we'll have to print you. And in order to print you, we want you to sign the cards. Will you do that? Ms. Tiller, excuse me, well, she's filling this out and I know they're about to fingerprint her. What's going to happen to this woman here? Well, the rest in offices will place a charge against her after the prints have cleared the

bureau of identification. And then she can either make bond or either will keep her overnight and send her to court tomorrow. You can check on a prior record that way, if any. That's right. Most of these people tell you the truth when they come in here. Most of them do, but sometimes there's quite a variation between what the record proves and what they say. What are most of the arrests for? Most of the arrests are for drunkenness, dope addiction. And then we get a lot of cases where major crimes are involved. And you keep them here and what disposition do you make from here? County jail or... Well, we send them to court and then the disposition. First of all, Officer Hoffman, could you tell us a little bit about the district that you work in? Yes, it extends about five square miles and we have a population to take care of about 150 ,000. Our average pulley strength here, accounting days off and so forth, is about 150 men. And how many

police women do you have assigned here? Two. You and Officer King. That's right. Officer King, what would a typical day's work be like here? Well, we come to the station about 7 .35 a .m. and we check in with our own office at the Women's Bureau and with the division operator. Then we go to roll call. And after roll call is held by the lieutenant, we check our local book for missing messages concerning women or any crimes in which women might be involved. What are some of the crimes that you work on normally? Well, sex crimes involving women and missing women. Missing women is a great deal of our work. Mrs. King, of course you're married. Do you have a family? Yes, I do. I have five children. That's pretty wonderful. Does it ever give you pause when you're used as a decoy? I know that a lot of police women, all police women, as a matter of fact, are used as a decoy and assault in suspicion cases.

Surely it must give you some pause. Do you stop and think about it? Well, I've had two experiences being used on a theater detail where women were being bothered in a downtown theater and in a district over east where there were many months of purse natchings. And you have a little fear perhaps at first, but you have the feeling that if it's cleared up and you're saving other women from these annoyances and assaults that it's worthwhile. Miss Houghtman, have you ever been in a spot like that where you were used as a decoy as a intended victim and have had little trouble? Yes. In the Austin district, we worked every Friday night for months and months trying to apprehend a gentleman that would approach the lovers in their car and blind them with a flashlight and hold a knife and a 38 caliber. So we were all prepared for them. It was just too bad that we weren't the lucky ones to apprehend him. You never did run into him like that. No, I

imagine while we were watching him, he might have been over in the county jail for some other crime that he committed because he never showed up after that. Well, is this actually the most dangerous phase of the work? Would you say? Yes, I believe so. We usually have a partner and when we think that there's a great deal of danger involved, we never hesitate to request help at the district which they're only too glad to give us. They don't like their ladies to go out alone and get hurt. Well, I can appreciate that. You certainly must enjoy the work because you seem to thrive on it. I love it. You have any children at home? No, I don't. I was going to ask him, maybe I better ask Mrs. King how the kids like to have a mother who is a police woman. Well, they have a father who is a police man so they're pretty used to it by now. But nobody goes near them, huh? No. Well, it's a good life and I know that you make it better for all of us. Thank you very much. We have been

to but one of 41 city districts where the roster of police carries the women with them in. Perhaps it's most important characteristic is that no distinction is made between them. There is no subdivision to a police officer. And the hopeful factor in the growing involvement of women in crime is the competence of a woman's force to meet it. This is Jack Angel with Cliff Mueller and Ed Johnson, engineers whose recordings here have imprinted city and sound.