Philadelphia City Council honors first 100 women who joined police force after 1976 court order

Philadelphia City Council recognized the first 100 women patrol officers at an event Thursday, according to officials. These women were some of the first to join the force after a court order in 1976 required the department to allow women in patrol roles.Celebrating trailblazers in Philadelphia policingCity Council honored women who broke ground as Philadelphia’s earliest female patrol officers, who joined the force following a 1976 court order. Harriett Farr, a retired Philadelphia Police corporal and training officer, said, "I made it my dream to become a police officer, I didn’t think it was going to happen, though I really didn’t." These women paved the way for others and faced pushback, but showed resilience and strength.Maria Watson, a retired Philadelphia Police officer, said, "Every time they said we couldn’t do it we made sure we showed them that we could." Margie Watson, a retired Philadelphia Police Detective, recalled her first assignment and the reaction from the public: "