Sidney A. Ball Policewoman Daily Calendars Collection

Sergeant Sidney A. Ball (nee Kirkpatrick); born January 10, 1898, was one of the first female officers at the time that she joined the Los Angeles Police Department in 1929. The first LAPD policewoman, Alice Stebbins Wells, joined the force in 1910 after petitioning that an ordinance be passed to create positions for policewomen on the Los Angeles police force. By 1937, this number had only increased to 39 total policewomen on the force. Ball's education history includes: three years of high school, one year of business college, Police Science courses at a city college, John Hill School of Police Science, and training at the Los Angeles Police Academy. Ball moved from Kansas City Missouri to California in 1923. Prior to her career in law enforcement Ball worked at stenography desks for various firms in Kansas City; as a credit manager for L. Lion and Sons Furniture Company in San Jose, CA.; and for the L.A. County District Attorney's office. In 1930 she started working for the Los Angeles Police Deparment under civil service working in various units under the Juvenile Division. Ball was appointed Sergeant of Policewomen in 1947, and in 1954 was assigned as policewoman sergeant in the Welfare and Rehabilitation Divison of the LAPD. Sgt. Ball would remain a policewoman for over 35 years, retiring in 1965.