The Queensland Police Service (QPS) celebrates an important milestone today as it marks 60 years since the first sworn female officers were inducted into the Service.
The induction ceremony of eight female officers took place on 31 March 1965 at Petrie Terrace Depot in Brisbane.
The pathway to the first sworn female officers began 34 years earlier by the efforts of trailblazing women determined to challenge gender stereotypes.
In March 1931, Zara Dare and Eileen O’Donnell became the first women to be appointed to the QPS .
Despite not being sworn officers and lacking police powers of arrest, Dare and O’Donnell wore plain clothes rather than uniforms, received half the pay of their male counterparts, and were unable to contribute to the superannuation fund.
Despite their unequal footing to begin with, the merits of female officers in the Service were recognised and their roles expanded over time.
By 1941, the Women in Police Section was formed, growing to nine members by 1945.
In 1955, unsworn policewomen were allowed to join the Police Union, and in 1958, the union asked the Commissioner to review the position of women in police in order to align their roles and powers more closely with male officers.
In March 1965, the first eight women were inducted into the police service as sworn officers.
Among the 1965 graduates was 22-year-old stenographer Judith deBoer (nee Barrett), who in March 1964 sent in a handwritten application to become a police officer.
Judith, now 83, recalls the disbelief she felt when she was contacted to say she had secured a position within the Service.
“I was amazed when I received a letter. I didn’t know that there were any policewomen in Queensland, and I had certainly never seen one,” she said.
“I felt naive when I joined, but what helped me through it was my mentors who provided me so much support in helping me navigate the frontline,” Judith said.
“I learnt the importance of laughter in coping with difficult situations, something that has served me well all my life.”
Judith was only with the service for less than two years, leaving in December 1966 to get married.
At the time and up until 1971, a marriage bar was in place in the public service, meaning female officers had to resign from the job when they wed. Married women were also prevented from joining.
Now living on the Gold Coast with her husband of 47 years, Theo, Judith is in awe of the female officers in the Service today.
“I would have loved to be a part of the Service now,” Judith said.
“The support and opportunities that these women have and the work they do in keeping Queensland safe is truly admirable.”
The influx of women into the QPS steadily increased, and by 1976 there were 308 sworn female officers. Today, in the QPS, more than 35 per cent of executive leadership positions are held by women.
The Assistant Commissioner of Domestic and Family Violence and Vulnerable Persons Command, Katherine Innes, has enjoyed a more than 30-year career with the QPS and has seen many barriers broken down over that time.
“There’s a lot of work that needs to happen in our community to change the way we interact as a society and the respect that needs to be provided between men and women,” she said.
“Policing is not about whether you’re a man or a woman – it’s about what we as diverse individuals can bring to the role, the care and empathy we have when we turn up to a job, and the desire to get the best outcomes for our community.
“The teamwork that you get from having men and women from different cultures and religions, bringing different perspectives and all working together to get the best outcomes for our community, that’s the QPS of today.”
