Women's History Month is wrapping up with San Francisco's police force: one police woman and two policewomen.
Mrs. Blanche Payson was an assigned special police woman for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition's
Toyland in the
Zone.
[Box P538 - Folder: Pays-, Payz-]
An article in the
San Francisco Chronicle, February 2, 1915
reads:
San Francisco Has a Special Police Woman.
Mrs. Blanche Payson, Pretty and Husky, Is Granted Commission by Police Board
Mrs. Blanche Payson - six feet four inches in height, weight 200 pounds and decidedly good-looking - is San Francisco's first special police woman. And she is going to do the stunt, under authority granted her last night by the Police Commission, at one of the exposition amusement concessions.
Mrs. Payson is not a copette. She is a special police woman- the very first. She appeared before the Commission last night clad in a stunning black riding habit, topped off by knee-length boots, and presented with her request a letter of introduction from the famous detective William Pinkerton.
The Commission didn't hesitate.
The same year that Mrs. Blanche Payson became a special police woman, Kate Sullivan joined the police force as San Francisco Police Department's first policewoman.
newscopy on the back: "KATE SULLIVAN, Retiring Policewoman. ...women who saw service in various departments remember a lot of stories that didn't make headlines. In fact, it's the proud boast of Mrs. Kathlyn (Kate) Sullivan, the city's most famous (and first) policewoman, that she saved many an unfortunate girl from shame by conniving to keep stories about them out of print. Mrs. Sullivan, now 81, joined the police force in 1915 and retired in 1948, a public servant beloved for her Irish wit and great Irish heart. She blazed many a trail in campaigns to improve the lot of unwed mothers and other youngsters in trouble, founded the 'Big Sister' movement to aid wayward girls, and counseled murderesses and prostitutes. 'It was a rich life,' she said in recollection, 'with many rewards. I've never stopped thanking God I was able to be a policewoman.' Recovering now, after a stroke and major surgery, she's been cheered by many messages from women, and men, she knew as troubled youngsters."
June 17, 1948
[Box P691 - Folder: Sullivan, Kate]
After Kate Sullivan, only a handful of women became policewomen in the San Francisco Police Department. During World War II, more women joined the police force such as Mary O'Malley.
newscopy on the back: "Hubby, wife both in uniform; 5 other women on police patrols-From now on in the Michael O'Malley family of 531 26th-av it's likely to be 'first up best dressed.' Patrolman Mike this morning looked over the uniform on his wife, Mary, and nodded with approval. His eyes flashed from the badge on her-er-front, No. 742, to the shinning star on his broad chest. No. 642. 'Pretty good, that uniform,' he grinned. 'Almost better than mine. Pretty good material in it, too.' With a kiss and a hug that showed excited pride Mike escorted Mary to the Hall of Justice, where she was to begin her first day on the job as a full-fledged policewoman, then went on his way to Northern Station, where he is attached to a radio patrol car. Mary and Mike O'Malley were the first husband-wife combination on the police force. The five other women who joined Mary O'Malley were the first 'lady traffic cops' in San Francisco history. Recruited 1 1/2 months ago by the Police Commission as a wartime measure and sworn in by Police Chief Dullea, they have been going through a rigorous training period at the Police Academy. Physical training, drill, report making, rules and regulations, mechanics of making an arrest, the Penal Code and how to ride a three-wheeled motorcycle were the 'ropes' Mrs. O'Malley, Amy Sliger, Vera Webdt, Elizabeth Rickey, Rita Bernell and Florence Moodie were put through. The sextet reported to Chief Dullea this morning and were then assigned to Southern Station to take over the three-wheelers and begin their traffic duties. Under the traffic policewoman program, 16 will eventually be hired through competitive civil service examination. The women are paid regular policeman's wages, $200 a month. Their uniforms are dark blue whipcord--a brass-buttoned jacket and slacks, worn whith a white shirt, black tie, overseas cap, black leather bag and white gloves. To make their police status complete, they also wear the official seven-pointed star and regular insignia on their caps."
August 8, 1944
[Box PxP163 - Folder: O'Malley and O'Mally]
Mary O'Malley stayed with the San Francisco Police Department and became the City Prison Matron.
on the back: Keys are a badge of office for senior City Prison Matron Mary O'Malley
February 7, 1964
[Box PxP163 - Folder: O'Malley and O'Mally]
More resources to explore about women in the San Francisco Police Department:
San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection -
Policewomen
San Francisco Ephemera Collection - subject: Police. Policewomen
San Francisco Police Department Records
San Francisco Police Department's Annual Reports, manuals,
Douglas "20" Police Journal, and
Police and Peace Officers' Journal of the State of California digitized from San Francisco Public Library's collection and hosted on
Internet Archive.
Images and captions from the
San Francisco News-Call Bulletin Photo Morgue are courtesy of the San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection, San Francisco Public Library.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The San Francisco Public Library owns the photo morgue of the San Francisco News-Call Bulletin, a daily newspaper that covered the time period from the 1920s to 1965. Much of the San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection comes from the San Francisco News-Call Bulletin Photo Morgue. However, the morgue also includes statewide, national, and international subjects and people that have not been digitized or cataloged. When researchers order scans from the San Francisco News-Call Bulletin Photo Morgue,selections are cataloged and added to the online database.
Looking for a historical photograph of San Francisco? Try our online database first. Not there? Come visit us at the Photo Desk of the San Francisco History Center, located on the sixth floor at the Main Library. The Photo Desk hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays 10 a.m. to noon, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. You may also request photographs from the San Francisco News-Call Bulletin Photo Morgue.
