1991: Celebrating Twenty Years of Women in Federal Law Enforcement

Executive Order 11478, "Equal employment opportunity in the Federal Government," signed by President Richard Nixon on August 8, 1969, provided equal opportunity in Federal employment for all persons; prohibited discrimination in employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap, or age; and, promoted equal employment opportunity through a continuing affirmative program in each executive department and agency.  For the first time in federal service, women could occupy positions in the GS-1811 and other job series from which they had previously been barred based solely on their gender.  Now women could occupy positions that held authority to carry firearms, execute search warrants, and make arrests.

The first women were hired in 1971 and 1972 by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

WIFLE, Inc., now a non-profit organization, is the only organization dedicated to promoting gender equity in federal law enforcement.  We wanted to share our history with you by making the 1991 Celebration Program available here.