sent for the
two chief officers of the Women Police Service, and informed them that
it was his intention to recommend them to the Ministry of Munitions
for the supplying of the Women Police required. They thanked the
Commissioner for his expression of trust in their capabilities, and in
July an agreement was drawn up between the Minister of Munitions
and the Chief Officer and Chief Superintendent of the Women Police
Service, who were appointed to act as the Minister's representatives
for the 'training, supplying and controlling' of the Force required.
The duties of the Policewomen were to include checking the entry of
women into the factory, examining passports, searching for contraband,
namely, matches, cigarettes and alcohol; dealing with complaints of
petty offences; patrolling the neighbourhood for the protection of
women going home from work; accompanying the women to and fro in the
workmen's trains to the neighbouring towns where they lodge; appearing
in necessary cases at the Police Court, and assisting the magistrates
in dealing with such cases, if required to. The Force for each factory
was to consist of an inspector, sergeants and constables. Women to
be trained for this work were at once enrolled by the Women Police
Service and trained under a Staff of Officers.

"Since the inauguration of factory-police work for women in July,
1916, a marked success has attended the organisation, which has
resulted in almost daily applications for Policewomen for factories
situated in every part of the United Kingdom. We are not able to give
a list of these factories nor to mention their names in our report
of the work carried on by them, but we may say that at the present
time we are supplying H.M. Factories, National Filling Factories
and Private Controlled Factories. We are sure that our patrons and
subscribers will feel as proud as we are of the intrepid Policewomen
who for the past fourteen months have been carrying out these duties,
which, we believe, no women have hitherto dreamt of undertaking, and
which have called forth qualities of tact, discretion, cool courage
and endurance that would compare well with any of those whom we call
heroes in the fight at the front. We would call attention to one
factory from which both the military and male Police Guard has
been withdrawn. The factory employs several thousand women in the
manufacture and disposal of some of the most dangerous explosives
demanded by the war. When an