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Shortly after Alice Stebbins Wells was appointed to the LAPD,as the nation’s first female policewoman with arrest powers, she aided forming LAPD's specialized juvenile division.
"In 1910, Alice Stebbins Wells, the City’s first policewoman, joined Officer Marden. Juvenile Bureau, the Department’s first specialized juvenile function, became a reality. Over the years, changes in the juvenile justice system, and a growing awareness of the special needs and problems associated with the City’s children, have kept Juvenile Division flexible and always cognizant of current needs of the community."
Minnie Barton the second policewoman within LAPD, "befriended several homeless girls while working with young women on parole or probation. Often these girls had nowhere else to go and no prospects for the future, so she attempted to help them rebuild their lives by taking them into her home and offering them vocational training."
1917 the “Minnie Barton Home”was established. The focus was
- Women just released from jail.
- Younger women, particularly first offenders, were committed to the Home in lieu of jail sentences.
- Pregnant women, often left destitute as a result of the father’s jail confinement or abandonment.The Home has since expanded and is now known as The Big Sister League, a United Way agency.
Minnie Barton was instrumental in establishing: “No young girl can be questioned by a male officer. Such work is delegated solely to policewomen, who, by their womanly sympathy and intuition, are able to gain the confidence of their younger sisters.”
1937
- 39 policewomen were employed by the LAPD
- 5 “aerial policewomen” were appointed as reserve officers. summoned to duty in situations requiring expert flyers.
LAPD Organization Chart - LAPD Online
Tips for Protecting Children from Online Offenders - LAPD Online
Today, Juvenile Division is composed of two basic sections: Operations Section and Child Protection Section.
Juvenile Division - LAPD Online
Child Protection Section of the Juvenile Division - LAPD Online - The Child Protection Section was formed as specific needs to protect children were identified. The section is comprised of the Abused Child Unit, the Sexually Exploited Child Unit, and most recently the Investigative Control Unit.
- The Abused Child Unit was founded in 1974
- The Investigative Control Unit was established to handle the significant increase of suspected child abuse calls when stricter changes in the mandatory child abuse reporting laws were made.
- The Sexually Exploited Child Unit interacts with outside agencies for purposes of investigation, prosecution, and training on matters of child exploitation and child pornography. The Unit has gained worldwide recognition for its “cutting edge” efforts to impact this horrific crime.
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