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, heralding a significant step forward in the evolution of the QPS.
The pathway to the first sworn female officers began 34 years earlier, made possible by the efforts of three 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 - or Queensland Police Force as it was known up until 1990.
Their appointment came after a campaign led by Irene Longman, the first women elected to the Queensland Parliament.
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 QPS took a significant step forward in its path to gender equality when 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 events leading up to her application, and the disbelief she felt when she was contacted to say she had secured a position within the Service.
"I saw an article in the Sunday Mail that the Commissioner was looking for young women to work with adolescents," Judith said.
"My father thought I would be good for that kind of work since I was running my youth church group for several years, so I wrote in.
"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!"
Judith speaks highly of her time in the QPS, and of her male counterparts who mentored and supported her through the tougher aspects of the job.
"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."
Judith credits her time in the Service for setting her up well for future endeavours, including her time working with the United Nations (UN) in the late 1990s and 2000s registering voters for elections in Afghanistan, East Timor and Kosovo.
In 2023, Judith was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the community.
Since the graduation of Judith and her peers in March 1965, the Service has seen many firsts in its history.
Three months after Judith's graduation, in June 1965, the first uniformed female officers joined the Service.
In Judith's time, female officers received 75 per cent of what their male counterparts earned, but in September 1970, equal pay was achieved.
The influx of women into the QPS steadily increased, and by 1976 there were 308 sworn female officers.
In 1990, the first five female Inspectors were appointed, and by 1992, QPS had its first female Superintendent and Chief Superintendent.
In 2000, Kathy Rynders became the first policewoman to achieve the rank of Assistant Commissioner, and in 2008, became the first woman to rise to the rank of Deputy Commissioner.
In July 2019, the glass ceiling was broken when Katarina Carroll became the first female Commissioner of the QPS.
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.
"Things have changed so much over my thirty years with the service, and it continues to change," Assistant Commissioner Innes said.
"Now in the QPS we have seen women at every rank, doing every job, and the barriers are certainly less in my view."
Assistant Commissioner Innes has led change in a number of roles, many of them focusing on improving outcomes for women.
"As part of my role as the Assistant Commissioner of the Crime and Intelligence Command, I led the first-ever Sexual Violence Strategy and the first Cyber Crime Strategy for Queensland Police," Assistant Commissioner Innes said.
Now heading up the Domestic and Family Violence and Vulnerable Persons Command, Assistant Commissioner Innes acknowledges how far society has come in the last 60 years but recognises the work that still needs to be done.
"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," Assistant Commissioner Innes said.
"I am proud to represent the women in QPS, I am proud that I can make a difference by advocating for change, and I am proud to lead a Command that is fair, respectful, and driven to improvement."
Assistant Commissioner Innes is a strong champion for the diversity we see in the QPS today and the different perspectives that officers can bring to the job.
"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 people of all different backgrounds and life experiences - 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 Queensland Police Service of today.
"Our differences are what make us strong."
A career within the Queensland Police Service is like no other. From protecting, responding, and investigating, to supporting, rescuing and learning – the sheer variety of roles make it both a challenging and rewarding career.
As a police officer, you can have one career that has endless possibilities. Now really is the best time to join.
Visit PoliceRecruit.qld.gov.au to kickstart your policing career and make a positive impact in your community.
