March is Women’s History Month and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is celebrating Women in Policing, the Past and the Present.

Margaret Queen Adams was the very first female Los Angeles County deputy sheriff, sworn in by Sheriff William Hammel in 1912. Having separated from her husband, she needed work to support her two children. Margaret took the oath of office on February 16, 1912, and began to work in the Civil Division. She served in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department from 1912-1947, retiring at age 72.

Deputy Julie Cabe became the first female law enforcement helicopter pilot in the nation’s history.
There are many stories of how the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department led the way in bringing women into all roles of modern-day law enforcement. We are proud of the women in our department, both past and present. We continue to look to recruit the women to be the future leaders of the LASD.

To celebrate the historic accomplishments, a short video marks the history of women in law enforcement. LASD marked some historic moments of firsts in the nation – and we pledge to continue our efforts to represent the diversity of our county through having a diverse department serving the community.