Photo from the San Diego Police Historical Association.
Coronado's First Policewomen
1956 was an exciting year for Coronado's police force. In January, the department announced the first full-time policewoman, Mrs. Betty Frances Walters. The appointment was Chief Robert Manchester’s as a result of then Chief Robert Manchester’s request that the position of clerk be changed to that of policewoman. Mrs. Walters came to Coronado with experience as a member of the police force in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Coronado Journal explained that her qualifications as well as her determination got her the job: "Mrs. Walters, a native of Illinois, headed the list of applicants in scores on a recent Civil Service examination for the post...She flew here at her own expense for an oral interview with the city manager, the chief of police and the chairman of the Civil Service commission. She was their unanimous choice." Mrs. Walters only served Coronado for seven months before moving on to a post in Chula Vista.
The post wasn't left open for long, Mrs. Marianne Cavanaugh, a Coronado local was appointed to fill the roll. Mrs. Cavanaugh was photographed for the front page of the Coronado Journal for their report on the "great shoe mystery". Over the span of two years, several women reported burlary and theft of their high heeled shoes. Most interestingly, the shoe burglar threw away one from each pair of shoes, leaving them all over town. As the Journal explained, "the others have been turning up all over town—one in Dr. Lahmann’s garden, two at the football field, others on Adella, A avenue, Eighth street and G avenue. Most of them are left shoes." Policewoman Cavanaugh was on had to collect the evidence and review at department headquarters. The burgler was later caught and charged on several counts.
Mrs. Cavanaugh left the force in 1958, and was replaced by another Coronado local, Mrs. Marceline Matlock. Mrs. Matlock had graduated two years prior from the San Diego Police Academy. She is assumed to be the unnamed woman in the Academy photo above, taken in 1956. She was the only woman among thirty five men who graduated. She served as clerk of Coronado's Judicial Court for many year following.
