Does anyone know the first woman/women who were police officers in Oklahoma City? I have come across in the Daily Oklahoman mention in March 1920 of Ida Viola Fay, plainclothes detective, & Mrs. A.A. Rogers, police woman. I believe these are the first mentions of women on the Oklahoma City Police Force that I have located. Does anyone out there have any others?

Hi, Diron,

If you haven't already, you might want to check out Ron Owens's very fine history of the OKCPD, OKLAHOMA JUSTICE, published by Turner Publishing.

I don't have it right in front of me, but I believe he mentions when the first female officers were hired as he goes through a year-by-year history of the department.

Hi, Diron,

According to Ron Owens's OKLAHOMA JUSTICE, the first female officers in OKCPD were hired in the summer of 1955. Six female officers were assigned to patrol the downtown for parking violations. Although they were unarmed (initially), and assigned strictly to "meter maid" duties, they were sworn officers with full arrest authority.

Only two of the original six hung on for full careers. Jean Latham eventually became the OKCPD's first female detective, and retired in 1983 after 28 years of service, and Ina mae "Tiny" Miller eventually became the OKCPD's first female sergeant, retiring in 1987 after 32 years of service.

There were police matrons in OKCPD as far back as the 1920's, but these were apparently civilian employees rather than sworn officers. The six hired in 1955 were the first female officers to be assigned field duties.

Hope this helps.

JIM DOHERTY

JIM DOHERTY