FIRST WOMEN

Pictured left to right: Jean Latham, Captain "Pop" Gunn, Ina Mae Miller, Jean Linn, Iona Chapman, Lois Moore, and Mildred Jones. The 2010 Hall of Fame induction includes recognition of a very important group of ladies. In August 1955 the City of Oklahoma City commissioned six women as the first female police officers in Oklahoma. From over 200 applicants Lois Faye Moore, Mildred Louise Jones, Iona Fae Chapman, Edna Jean Linn, Ina Mae "Tiny" Miller, and Jean Latham were hired. After six weeks of training the women graduated from a training class held at the Downtown Library. Issued gold badges numbered one to six, the women were assigned to the Traffic Division and worked four blocks in the downtown area where they wrote tickets, impounded cars, directed traffic, and made arrests. Within a few years four of the six women had resigned and the two remaining women went on to enjoy long careers and retire from the Oklahoma City Police Department. Additional women police officers were not hired by Oklahoma City until 1972.

Their individual standards, character and professionalism led the way for women to serve and contribute to the profession of law enforcement. As a direct result of their perseverance and dedication to law enforcement, today there are women serving at all levels of policing because of these pioneers

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