The Saint Paul Police Women’s Oral History Project will record, and preserve oral history interviews from retired and current female officers. Women as sworn officers are relatively new, only since 1975. This project will explore the struggles, success and impact females have had on the culture of his unique urban department. Through these interviews public and academia will gain insights into the challenges of being a female in law enforcement.

This women’s project is an extension of HAND in HAND Productions’ Saint Paul Police Oral History Project that has completed 25 interviews with retired and current members of the department to preserve the history and culture of this extraordinary, innovative metropolitan department.

[Above is Carolen Bailey’s ID when she was promoted to a lieutenant. Lt. Bailey was initially appointed a Police Woman in 1961, but did not wear a uniform, nor supervise male officers until she passed the same test as the males and was promoted lieutenant in 1985, to become the street boss of patrol in the Northwest Team]