Women Officers of the Metropolitan Police in 1919. During the early period women officers were restricted principally to cases involving women, children and family welfare.

Seated (right) is Mrs Stanley, Superintendent, with her Assistant Superintendent, Inspector and Sergeant.

The first document, a discussion about women recruits, reveals concerns that the number of male police officers is falling while the number of women recruits is rising.

What appears particularly to worry the senior officers involved in the discussion is the need to protect women officers from dangerous duties (something that was technically not allowed by the legislation). One result of this was that women officers were unable to claim the overtime that male officers earned while attending football matches where there could be violence between rival fans.

The Police Federation (the equivalent of the police trade union that brought the complaints of the rank-and-file to senior management) was complaining about this.

Central Conference of Chief Constables, 3rd November 1977

The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) had received a complaint that women police officers were not being used for riot control duties. In February 1979, the EOC requests clarification (left).

Their reply of 27th April indicated that it was not thought appropriate for women police officers to be deployed in violent situations (right).

In August 1979, the EOC are still concerned with the Police's interpretation of the regulations (left).

A copy of the correspondence is sent to ACPO for distribution to all Chief Constables (right).

A modern woman police officer. Following legislation of the early 1970s, women officers were given full equality with their male counterparts in every aspect of the job.

In November 1944 a Royal Commission on Equal Pay was established. The County Chief Constables' Conference (the predecessor of ACPO) was asked to comment on the question of equal pay for women police officers.

A copy of the letter sent for distribution to all Chief Constables is shown alongside.

It would be a useful exercise to have students write responses, or roll play a debate, on the subject of equal pay for the same work, particularly in the context of mid-twentieth-century Britain when women police were concentrated in the area of female and child welfare and not allowed to serve alongside male officers during problems of public order.

It is suggested that they look above and consider this document in the light of the correspondence and discusssions regarding equal opportunity during the 1970s.