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Queensland’s first police force began operations under its own legislation in 1864, although it wasn’t until 1931 that women were accepted into the force. Ellen O’Donnell and Zara Dare became the first female police officers, commencing duty on 16 March 1931 at the Roma Street police station.
Conferences held to consider the employment of female police were common in their agreement that women were suited to the role of investigating sexual offences on women and girls.
It was noted that women “should not be regarded as substitutes for men, but ultimately it may be possible for men and women to be considered as interchangeable on certain duties”. That is certainly the case today where male and female officers undertake the same duties. With the current force of almost 10,000 officers, almost 25 percent are women.
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 | Memorandum from Police Commissioner Ryan to the Home Secretary on the question of why the female police officers had not yet been sworn in, 15 February 1932
Queensland State Archives Item ID 1139495, Digital Image ID 2908 Police Department, Police Service Commissioner’s Office
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 | 1932 Physicists split the atom | |
1932 Sydney Harbour Bridge opened | |
1933 FM radio invented |
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