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Today, South Wales Police employs 1,274 femalestaff members and 792 female officers.

But 150 years ago the roles were very different…

1914 – 1918 World War IIn 1914 most of the women in thepolice force in South Wales wereemployed as matrons, undertakingduties such as supervising andescorting women and children incustody. Often these early pioneerswere the wives of serving officers.Two groups of women wereinvolved – Voluntary WomenPatrols and the Women’s AuxiliaryService. Both were concernedchiefly with the moral guidance ofwomen and undertookpreventative patrols at nearby armycamps and munitions factories.

1920 – The introduction ofthe Baird Committee The Baird Committee was introduced in 1920 todevelop the role of women in policing andrecommended an increase in their numbers. Theexperience of war had proved the value of femalepolice. However, the development of women inpolicing was dealt a severe blow as a crash in theeconomy meant that staff numbers at The GlamorganConstabulary fell by 5%.

1924 – Political struggle over theemployment of women in the police forceDuring the mid-twenties the political debate aboutthe employment of female police officers intensified.At this time women were employed as officers in theMetropolitan Police district, six County Forces and 27city and borough forces. The total number of femalepolice officers was 110.

Though many recognised the value of women invarious roles during the War, there was stillconsiderable opposition to the idea of theemployment of women in the police service.

A representative of the Police Committee of theAssociation of Municipal Corporations said there wasno general public demand for their employment andthe County Councils’ Association said theemployment of women was unnecessary.

On the other hand, representatives of the NationalCouncil of Women of Great Britain, and the LondonCouncil for the Promotion of Public Morality, urgedthat police authorities throughout the country appointa sufficient number of female officers to ensureproper administration.

1924 – Chief Constable Lionel Lindsaydoesn’t see advantage of employing womenIn Glamorgan, the Standing Joint Committee askedChief Constable Lionel Lindsay to consider the benefit

of employing women. In December1924 he reported:

“I have very carefully consideredthe question of the employment ofpolice women in the County ofGlamorgan from every possiblestandpoint affecting theadministration of a large CountyPolice Force, and I unhesitatinglydeclare that I am unable tosubscribe to the opinion expressedthat their employment would beany advantage to the County.”

1931 – Viscountess Astor visits CardiffViscountess Astor, MP, spokeat a public meeting in Cardiffon the issue of police in1931. It is believed she senta letter of invitation to thethen Chief ConstableLionel Lindsay. It is thoughthighly unlikely that heattended as his opinion ofwomen in the policeservice was well known,and the issue of womenpolice officers was not

The role of South WalesPolice women through history

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raised again throughout the remaining years ofLindsay’s term as Chief Constable.

1939 – Chief Constable Joseph Jonesreappraises value of womenManpower shortagesduring the war led theHome Office to forceLindsay’s successor, Mr Joseph Jones, toreappraise the value of women.

Women began to takeresponsibility forsupportive duties suchas typing, answeringtelephones and generalhousekeeping in larger stations, thereby releasingmore men for active duty in the armed forces.

1948 – World War II After the war a distinction developed between thosewomen who continued to undertake administrativesupport duties, known in the County Force as FemaleCivilian Clerks, and the new female police employedto undertake a limited number of duties thoughtsuitable, such as dealing with lost children, domesticviolence and cases of a sexual nature.

1948 – First female police officer appointedThe first female officer in theGlamorgan Constabulary,WPC 1 Elsie Joan Baldwin, was appointed in 1948. WPC1 Baldwin was referredto by her middle name Joan as this was typical of this era.

She joined the police followingher service in World War II,and passed away in 1995.

1950 – First female special constableThe first female special constable, WSC 1 ElizabethRees was appointed on July 3, 1950.

1969 – Forces amalgamate creating more job opportunitiesIn 1969, under the provisions of the 1964 Police Act,which promoted greater efficiency for the policeservice, the police forces of Glamorgan, Cardiff,Swansea and Merthyr Tydfil amalgamated, creatingthe new South Wales Constabulary.

Female officers were employed in the CriminalInvestigation and Traffic Departments, Special Branchand Drugs Squad, as well as in the uniform branchcarrying out traditional beat duties.

Chief ConstableJoseph Jones

Women working as telephonists during World War II

WPC1 ElsieJoan Baldwin

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1975 – Major landmark in equality for womenIn accordance with the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act,the female police section of South Wales Constabularyceased to exist.

1989 – Women start to work with ourfour legged friendsPC Ishbel Jones was the first female police officer tobe appointed in the South Wales Police ConstabularyDog Section in 1989.

2004 – First South Wales Police femaleChief Constable appointedBarbara Wilding wasappointed as the firstfemale ChiefConstable of SouthWales Police onJanuary 1st, 2004. At this time, MissWilding was co-director for the PoliceNational AssessmentCentre for seniorcommand. Shechaired the ACPOAcquisitive CrimeCommittee, was a member of the ACPO Terrorismand Allied Matters Committee and ACPO crimebusiness area. She also oversaw a national mentoringscheme for female superintendents.

The Millennium Honours list in 2000 recognisedBarbara for distinguished service to policing anddecorated her with the Queen’s Policing Medal.

She was also honoured in the Queen’s 80th birthdayawards when she was awarded the Commander ofthe British Empire medal for her services to policing.

Chief Constable Barbara Wilding retired in December 2009.

2008 – Female Assistant Chief ConstableColette Paul joined theforce as Assistant ChiefConstable in 2008,taking responsibility forProtective Services,Serious & OrganisedCrime, CounterTerrorism, Firearms andRoads Policing.

She became DeputyChief Constable in 2010,overseeing ProfessionalStandards andCorporateCommunications.

She was also the strategic lead for performance andcollaboration and the national police lead forinternational affairs, Schengen and communicationsand media.

She became Chief Constable of Bedfordshire Policein June 2013.

2013 and the futureAs a champion of equality and diversity, South WalesPolice and the Female Police Association are workingto provide a positive working environment for femalestaff; raising their profile and improving the quality ofservice to the public of South Wales.

Chief ConstableBarbara Wilding

Assistant ChiefConstable Colette Paul

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South Wales PoliceSouth Wales Police Headquarters

Cowbridge Road, Bridgend CF31 3SU

Email: info@south-wales.pnn.police.ukTelephone: 01656 869291

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