Atlanta Police Highlight Gains Made With Women's History Month

ATLANTA, GA -- The Atlanta Police Department is celebrating Women's History Month by highlighting its past. The police force's Facebook page is shining a light on many firsts done by females in the department, and in the process educating metro Atlanta on its past.

"The Atlanta Police Department has a rich history and that is because of the many contributions by some phenomenal women. From Linnie Hallmon, the first African-American woman hired by the Atlanta Police Department, to Beverly Harvard, our first female African-American Police Chief, to our current Police Chief Erika Shields, you can see that we celebrate leadership and diversity," APD spokeswoman Elizabeth Espy told Patch.

Just like it did with Black History Month, the department is highlighting a little-known fact each day of March. For example, did you know that in 1918, the APD made history by appointing its first two policewomen?

"We have strong, intelligent and passionate women leading this department, both in sworn and civilian capacities, to ensure that this police department fulfills its mission to work in partnership with the community we serve," Espy said.

In 1971, Linnie Hallmon becomes the first African-American woman officer hired by the APD.

In 1976, Mary Hall became the first woman to join the APD SWAT Team.

Women at the switchboard at APD office in 1956.

The first women in the APD to earn the rank of major, Thetus Knox and Blanche Nichols.

Believe it or not, APD women had to go to "charm and posture" class.

On the beat. On the street.

In the early 1980s, Beverly Harvard became the first woman to hold the rank of deputy chief in a major metropolitan police department.

The remembrances also take on a somber note: On April 4, 2001, Investigator Sherry Lyons-Williams became the first female APD officer killed in the line of duty. Eleven years later, APD Sr. Patrol Officer Gail Thomas became the second female APD officer killed in the line of duty.

Do you have any Atlanta police department firsts you'd like to share? Let us know in the comments!

Image via Facebook / APD