ABSTRACT
The appointment of Pauline Clare as Britain’s first female Chief Constable in 1995 has become a starting point for analyses of women in police leadership. This chapter argues that such a reading represents a serious misunderstanding of women’s engagement with police leadership over time. Women have been present in the work of police leadership for over a century now. The chapter reflects on a number of prominent women undertaking police leadership roles, including Nina Boyle, Margaret Damer Dawson, Mary Allen, Sofia Stanley, Dorothy Peto and Barbara de Vitre. Through an exploration of their experiences, motivations and modus operandi, the chapter gives voice and presence to a much neglected area of study within police leadership. In so doing, it surfaces important points of conflict and collaboration, of alienation and alliance, during their time as leaders. The chapter also affords an opportunity to connect the experiences and concerns of contemporary women chiefs with their historical counterparts.
