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Women in Law Enforcement Part 2

One night on a ride-along in Carrollton, in the 0-dark-thirties morning hours, Dean’s sergeant told us to 10-25, meet, in some parking lot in Carrollton somewhere. Hell, it was about 0300. His Sergeant drove up and was a female. She was of stocky build and probably in her early thirties. Dean didn’t tell me he had a female supervisor. I was shocked to see a female police officer and especially one as a Sergeant drive up. While not unheard of, a female law enforcement officer was rare in the 1970s and early 1980s. She just wanted to meet me and see what we were up to.  His Sergeant wanted to discuss the previous calls of that night on her shift. They included me in their conversations, which made me feel at ease. She began telling me some of her war stories like all cops do to one another. Much like my website. I thought that she must have been one of the first women to be hired for law enforcement since she was already a sergeant. She spoke of car chases and arrests. Some of her stories I had knowledge of and had even heard while listening to the Sheriff’s band radio. Sheriff’s band radio was a Statewide radio frequency specifically designated for all law enforcement agencies in Georgia. Douglas County Sheriff’s Office state radio call sign was “KTO540”. Listening to the State radio while on duty was just as important as listening to and logging your shift’s activity from your department’s own frequency. She seemed confident and in charge. She was taller and heavier than Dean and I. She looked intimidating. I myself would have gotten into the back of her car without argument.