Their work in London proved so successful that the Home Office recommended the adoption of the scheme in provincial centres, where the Chief Constables authorized them and later the War Office asked for more Patrols in some of the camp areas and spoke very highly of their work.

A woman Patrol is generally a woman who is busy in her own home or profession all day, but who gives some hours one or two evenings a week to this work.

They have done the work faithfully and well, and have exceeded in their success all anticipations.  There are about 3,000 Patrols in the Kingdom; of these eighty-five are engaged in special work in London and paid by the Commissioner of Police.  Two are engaged in work at Woolwich Arsenal.  Two are Park Keepers appointed by the Board of Works and are working in Kensington Gardens, and their names were submitted to the King before appointment.  They have the power of arrest.

A subsidy has been granted to the Women’s Patrol Committee for the training of Women Patrols of L400 a year.  In many big towns admirable work has been done.

In Edinburgh the Patrol Committee was asked by H.M.  Office of Works to help the men park keepers in keeping order in the King’s Park.

This they have done with great success.  Dublin has just taken over two women Patrols as paid workers.

The Military, Admiralty, Police, and Civil Authorities have all united in praising their work and any one can realize how much patience and tact and knowledge it calls for, and what it means to have had it done for over three years.  The patrols have not been content only to talk to the girls, though it is wonderful what that alone can do.  They have succeeded in getting them to come to clubs and they have worked in connection with the mixed clubs of which we have several very successful ones.  A mixed club is very useful and helpful, but it must be well run by a good committee of men and women, and you need people of judgment and knowledge and tactful firmness in charge of it, if it is to be the best kind of club.

We have found an admirable thing is to have evenings for men friends in the Girls’ Clubs when the girls can invite their men friends in, and have music and games and entertainment.

When Patrols were started, there was a very strong feeling that there ought to be women police, a much needed change in our country.  We had none when war broke out, but in September, 1914, Miss Darner Dawson founded the Women Police Service.  When members joined they were trained in drill, first aid, practical instructions in Police Duties, gained by actual work in streets, parks, etc.  They studied special acts relating to women and children and civil and criminal law and the procedure and rules of evidence in Police Courts.

Their first work was done in Grantham where, in November, 1914, the Women’s Central Committee of Grantham elected a Women Police Subcommittee to provide a fund for the payment of two Police Women to work with the Chief Constable.  In February the following letter was written about their work: